Reductive coupling of carbodiimides with metallic lithium: a new route to metal oxalamidino complexes

Abstract

Carbodiimides (RN)₂C were reductively coupled with Li powder into [{Li(py)₂}₂(μ-C₂N₄R₄)] (R = p-tolyl) (1) and [{Li(THF)}₂(μ-C₂N₄R₄)] (R = Cy) (2), and 2 reacted with UCl₄ to give [Li(py)₄]₂[{UCl₄(py)}₂(μ-C₂N₄R₄)] (R = Cy) (3); the crystal structures of 1 and 3·2py, the first oxalamidino compounds of an alkali metal and of a 5f-element, have been determined.