Attempted reduction of a carbazolyl-diiodoalane

Abstract

We report details of our attempts to reduce the bulky carbazolyl diiodoalane [R–AlI₂]. The reducing agents employed include KC₈, Cp*₂Co and the Mg(I) compound [(^MesBDI)Mg]₂. The use of KC₈ allowed the spectroscopic observation of the alanediyl [R–Al]. With Cp*₂Co as the reducing agent, the alanediyl [R–Al] was obtained as a crystalline material in low yield, but paramagnetic impurities remained. When diiodoalane [R–AlI₂] was treated with [(^MesBDI)Mg]₂, no reduction but a 2 : 1 addition was observed.