Enantiopure dimagnesium(i) and magnesium(ii) hydride complexes incorporating chiral amidinate or β-diketiminate ligands

Abstract

A known chiral β-diketiminate, [HC{MeCN-(S)-(−)-CHMePh}(MeCNDip)]⁻ (Dip = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) L¹, and a new chiral amidinate, [Bu^tC(NAr*){N-(S)-(−)-CHMePh}]⁻ L² (Ar* = C₆H₂{C(H)Ph₂}₂Me-2,6,4) have been utilised in the synthesis of the first examples of enantiopure, dinuclear magnesium(I), [(L¹)Mg–Mg(L¹)], and magnesium(II) hydride complexes, [(L²)Mg(μ-H)₂Mg(L²)] and [(L²)(THF)Mg(μ-H)₂Mg(THF)(L²)]. A related enantiopure β-diketiminato magnesium hydride cluster compound, [(L¹)₄Mg₅H₆], has also been synthesised, presumably forming via a partial redistribution of in situ generated [(L¹)Mg(μ-H)₂Mg(L¹)].