A halide-free route to groups 12 and 13 organometallic and metalloorganic complexes

Abstract

Nucleophilic substitution of the bis(trimethylsilyl)amido groups of [M{N(SiMe₃)₂}₂](M = Zn or Cd) and [In{N(SiMe₃)₂}₃] was found to be a halide-free and homogeneous approach to organometallic and metalloorganic complexes. The breadth of this new synthetic approach is illustrated by the formation of [Cd(SCPh₃)₂(tmen)]1(tmen = Me₂NCH₂CH₂NMe₂), [(PhC≡C)₄Zn{Li(tmen)}₂]2 and [Li(thf)₄][In(C≡CPh)₄]3(thf = tetrahydrofuran) from nucleophilic substitution reactions utilising [M{N(SiMe₃)₂}₂](M = Zn or Cd) and [In{N(SiMe₃)₂}₃], the outcome of which is dependent upon the Lewis bases and nucleophiles employed and the metal centres concerned. The crystal structures of complexes 1–3 have been determined.