A monomeric (trimethylsilyl)methyl lithium complex: synthesis, structure, decomposition and preliminary reactivity studies

Abstract

Monomeric organolithium (LiR) complexes could provide enhanced Li–C bond reactivity and suggest mechanisms for a plethora of LiR-mediated reactions. They are highly sought-after but remain a synthetic challenge for organometallic chemists. In this work, we report the synthesis and characterisation of a monomeric (trimethylsilyl)methyl lithium complex, namely [Li(CH₂SiMe₃)(κ³-N,N′,N′′-Me⁶Tren)] (1), where Me⁶Tren is a tetradentate neutral amine ligand. The structure of 1 was comprehensively examined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, variable temperature NMR spectroscopy and electron absorption spectroscopy. Complex 1 decomposes via ligand C–H and C–N activations to produce a Li amide complex 2. Preliminary reactivity studies of 1 reveal CO insertion and C–H activation reaction patterns.