Neopentyl beryllium compounds, and complexes of methyl(-neopentyl)beryllium
Abstract
The neopentylberyllium complexes (Me3C·CH2)2Be(OEt2), (Me3C·CH2)2Be(NMe3), and (Me3C·CH2)2Be(tmed)(tmed = tetramethylethylenediamine) are described. Both ethyl- and neopentyl-beryllium bromide yield crystal-line monomeric tmed complexes, but reaction between neopentylberyllium bromide and trimethylamine results in disproportionation to (Me3C·CH2)2Be(NMe3). Neopentylberyllium hydride forms a soluble monomeric tmed complex, (Me3C·CH2BeH)2(tmed).
The equilibrium between dimethylberyllium–trimethylamine and dineopentylberyllium–trimethylamine in cyclopentane at –40° favours the mixed methyl(neopentyl)beryllium complex. The methyl(neopentyl)beryllium–tmed complex has been isolated.