Novel aluminium– and gallium–nitrogen heteronorbornanesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: selected geometry parameters for 1 and 2 (X-ray and DFT). See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/cc/b0/b003813j/

Abstract

Selective formation of 2,5-dialumina-3,6-diaza- and 2,5-digalla-3,6-diaza-norbornane is achieved by reaction of bis(lithiomethyl-methylamino)methane with dimethylaluminium and dimethylgallium chloride by simultaneous formation of two metal–carbon and two metal–nitrogen bonds accompanied by two ring closure reactions; the norbornane-basket structures are favoured over potential isomers containing three-membered rings and over polymeric aggregation.