Lewis acid fragmentation of a lithium aryloxide cage: generation of new heterometallic aluminium–lithium species

Abstract

Heterometallic aluminium–lithium species were prepared by the fragmentation reaction of the hexametallic cage compound [Li{2,6-(MeO)₂C₆H₃O}]₆ (1) with alkyl aluminium derivatives. Depending on the aluminium precursor, the species formed present different nuclearities in the solid state as shown by single crystal X-ray analysis. Spectroscopic and computational studies have been performed to study the nuclearity of the synthesized compounds in solution.