Dramatic structural changes of donor-functionalized alkoxides of aluminium upon replacement of the ester functionality by ketone

Abstract

Upon replacement of the ester functionality by ketone functionality in α-hydroxy carbonyl compounds dramatic structural changes of donor-functionalized alkoxides of aluminium are observed: complete reversal of the stereochemistry of the aluminium alkoxide adduct formation, dissociation of the five-coordinate dimer to a monomeric four-coordinate chelate complex; the first example of an aluminium Cram-type chelate complex derived from the reaction of Et₃Al with an equimolar amount of rac-acetoin is reported.