Self-assembly of benzylcyclopentadienyl lithium

Abstract

Crystal structures of η⁵-coordinated polymers of cyclopentadienyl lithium (CpLi) derivatives are rare. Herein we describe the solid-state characterization of the base-free supersandwich of benzyl cyclopentadienyl lithium ([^BnCp–Li]_∞). The self-assembled polymer has the shortest mean Li–Cp (2.286 Å) and Li–Cp_centroid (1.948 Å) bond distances of known mono-substituted CpLi compounds.