Crystallographic characterisation of binary alkali metal alkoxide–magnesium bis(alkyl) mixtures: differential binding of Na+ and K+ to a common dinuclear diorganomagnesiate

Abstract

Relevant to mixtures studied in solution and utilised in styrene polymerisation but hitherto not characterised in the solid, two crystal structures of alkali metal alkoxide–magnesium bis(alkyl) co-complexes have been determined, revealing that in binding to the C₂O tripodal face of a common organomagnesiate anion, Na⁺ prefers O-coordination, whereas K⁺ prefers C-coordination.