A molecular aluminium fulleride

Abstract

The reaction of alumylene [(^Dippnacnac)Al] (1) with C₆₀ fashions the first example of a structurally characterised aluminium-fulleride complex, [{(^Dippnacnac)Al}₃C₆₀] (2), in which the Al centres are covalently bound to significantly elongated 6 : 6 bonds. Hydrolysis of 2 yields C₆₀H₆ and the reaction of 2 with [{^Mesnacnac)Mg}₂] cleaved off the Al fragments by affording the fulleride [{^Mesnacnac)Mg}₆C₆₀].