Lithium, sodium and potassium enolate aggregates and monomers: syntheses and structures

In this Article, we report the syntheses and comparative structural studies of lithium, sodium, and potassium anthracen-9-yl enolates, as their aggregates (Li, Na: hexamer; K: tetramer) and ligand-stabilized monomers (for Li and Na). The monomers add new members to the rare collection of group-1 metal monomeric enolates. Moreover, the series covers different group-1 metal cations (Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺) and aggregate sizes, allowing comparative structural studies to elucidate how the metal identity and aggregate size influence the enolate structure.