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Plasma welding is characterized by a high concentration of energy, which allows for high welding speed and leads to less distortion and residual stresses compared to conventional welding processes. Due to the local and controlled heat input, the process is suitable for sheet metal from ≈ 0.1 mm (micro plasma) up to ≈ 10 mm. In the case of aluminum and its alloys, the natural aluminum oxide layer on the metal surface limits the productivity of the plasma welding process. The electrically isolating and thermally insulating Al2O3 layer has a significantly higher melting point compared to the aluminum (T m(Al2O3) = 2072 °C vs. T m(Al) = 660 °C). The oxide layer hinders the formation of a stable arc and can even impede the joining formation. In order to remove the oxide layer and to produce quality welds with a DC process, it is necessary to weld with reverse polarity to use the principle of cathodic surface cleaning. However, this leads to increased electrode wear and increased penetration depth, which is not always desirable. In the study presented, the use of silane to reduce the oxygen content in the welding atmosphere as well as to remove the natural aluminum oxide layer on the metal surface was investigated. As previous studies have shown that the use of silane-doped plasma-gases is suitable for removing the superficial oxide layer on aluminum components, high-quality welded joints were expected. Quality welds with sufficient dilution were achieved using a transferred arc silane-doped helium plasma. In contrast, welding with an argon-silane mixture led to excessive pores formation. Additionally challenges to stabilize the arc process were identified and ramifications with respect to process optimization are discussed.

Treatment of silyl compounds with excess sodium tert-butoxide results in encapsulation of the released anion. While the BF4− anion just fits in a spherical sodium alkoxide hull, the butadiyenediide dianion pierces its hull resulting in dimerisation.

In shielded metal arc welding, the major factors influencing hydrogen uptake into the weld metal are (i) the hydrogen content of the base metal, (ii) hydrogen input by the welding consumable, and (iii) the hydrogen introduced by the atmosphere surrounding the arc process. In this study, the relative contribution of these factors is investigated and compared to each other for the case of underwater wet shielded metal arc welding. To assess the influence of the stick electrode’s moisture (capillary introduced water during handling operations) on the diffusible hydrogen in wet welded samples, wet and dry electrodes were welded at four different water depths. The moisture was absorbed through the sharpened electrode tip only, to ensure close to service conditions. The results show that the moist stick electrode coatings lead to 22.6% higher average diffusible hydrogen content in the weld metal (0.5 m water depth an average). However, the effect disappears with increasing water depths (no difference in 60 m water depth).

As a lightweight construction material, aluminum plays a key role in weight reduction and, thus, sustainability in the transport industry. The brazing of aluminum and its alloys is impeded by the natural passivating oxide layer, which interferes with the brazing process. The presented study investigates the possibility of using a thermal silane-doped argon plasma to reduce this oxide layer in situ and thus eliminating the need to use hazardous chemical fluxes to enable high-quality brazing. Using plasma spectroscopy and an oxygen partial pressure probe, it was shown that a silane-doped argon plasma could significantly reduce the oxygen concentration around the plasma in a thermal plasma brazing process. Oxygen concentrations below 10−16 vol.-% were achieved. Additionally, metallographic analyses showed that the thickness of an artificially produced Al2O3-Layer on top of AlMg1 samples could be substantially reduced by more than 50%. With the oxide layer removed and inhibition of re-oxidation, silane-doped plasma brazing has the potential to become an economically efficient new joining method.

Alkali metal alkoxides are widely used in chemistry due to their Brønsted basic and nucleophilic properties. Potassium alkoxides assist alkyllithium in the metalation of hydrocarbons in Lochmann‐Schlosser‐bases. Both compounds form mixed aggregates, which enhance the thermal stability, solubility, and the basic reactivity of these mixtures. A very unusual spherical mixed alkoxy aggregate was discovered by Grützmacher et al., where a central dihydrogen phosphide anion is surrounded by a highly dynamic shell of thirteen sodium atoms and a hull of twelve tert‐butoxide groups. This structural motif can be reproduced by a reaction of trimethylsilyl compounds of methane, halogens, or pseudo‐halogens with excess sodium tert‐butoxide. A nucleophilic substitution releases the corresponding anion, which is then encapsulated by the sodium alkoxide units. The compounds are soluble in hydrocarbon solvents, enabling studies of solutions by high‐resolution NMR spectroscopy and IR/Raman studies of the crystalline materials., Sodium alkoxide with a pinch of salt: The in situ release of organic or inorganic anions from silyl compounds allows for their encapsulation in a sodium alkoxide shell. These spherical mixed aggregates incorporate anions ranging from the organic and basic methyl anion, halides, and pseudo‐halides to the nitrate anion. In this form, such anions can be studied as isolated entities unaffected by the influence of strongly coordinating solvents.

Substituted metallocenes with more than two substituents have to be synthesized using doubly substituted cyclopentadiene rings in a reaction with a metal compound or by the introduction of additional functional groups to an already di-substituted metallocene. The direct formation of tetra-substituted metallocenes often suffers due to insufficient reactivity of the reagents or the resulting product mixtures, which are hard to separate. In this work, a protocol, which was successful in a tetra-substitution of ferrocene by a tetra-metalation followed by a reaction with carbon dioxide, is used to perform the tetra-substitution of ruthenocene and osmocene. In addition, a simplified protocol for the tetra-functionalization of ferrocene using commercially available components on a medium scale is described.

Lochmann-Schlosser superbases are formed by mixing alkyllithium with potassium alkoxides. These reagents could prove their synthetic usefulness and reliability in many reactions over five decades. However, despite many efforts, the real source of the exceptional reactivity remained a secret. The seemingly manageable system of four components (lithium, potassium atoms, alkyl groups, and alkoxy groups) and their interaction is obscured by poor solubility and fierce reactivity. Recent progress was achieved by using neopentyllithium, leading to alkane-soluble aggregates with varying lithium/potassium content and a flexible alkyl/alkoxy ratio. Herein, we isolated two new alkane-soluble alkyl/alkoxy mixed aggregates, [Li4 KNp2 (OtBu)3 ] and [K4 Np(OtAm)3 ]. The latter compound is a thermally stable three-component potassium alkyl/alkoxy base with well-defined stoichiometry, in contrast to lithium-containing Lochmann-Schlosser bases with variable metal and alkyl/alkoxy content. In a simple protocol, this potassium-base gave tetrametalated ferrocene, which was converted into 1,1',3,3'-ferrocenetetracarboxylic acid by reaction with CO2 . A subsequent conversion into the methyl ester allowed its separation from accompanying di- and tri-substituted ferrocenes.

A series of four ferrocenyl ester compounds, 1-methoxycarbonyl- (1), 1,1’-bis(methoxycarbonyl)- (2), 1,1’,3-tris(methoxycarbonyl)- (3) and 1,1’,3,3’-tetrakis(methoxycarbonyl)ferrocene (4), has been studied with respect to their potential use as redox mediators. The impact of the number and position of ester groups present in 1–4 on the electrochemical potential E1/2 is correlated with the sum of Hammett constants. The 1/1+–4/4+ redox couples are chemically stable under the conditions of electrolysis as demonstrated by IR and UV–vis spectroelectrochemical methods. The energies of the C=O stretching vibrations of the ester moieties and the energies of the UV–vis absorptions of 1–4 and 1+–4+ correlate with the number of ester groups. Paramagnetic 1H NMR redox titration experiments give access to the chemical shifts of 1+–4+ and underline the fast electron self-exchange of the ferrocene/ferrocenium redox couples, required for rapid redox mediation in organic electrosynthesis.

Hydrogen-assisted cracking is a major challenge in underwater wet welding of high-strength steels with a carbon equivalent larger than 0.4 wt%. In dry welding processes, post-weld heat treatment can reduce the hardness in the heat-affected zone while simultaneously lowering the diffusible hydrogen concentration in the weldment. However, common heat treatments known from atmospheric welding under dry conditions are non-applicable in the wet environment. Induction heating could make a difference since the heat is generated directly in the workpiece. In the present study, the thermal input by using a commercial induction heating system under water was characterized first. Then, the effect of an additional induction heating was examined with respect to the resulting microstructure of weldments on structural steels with different strength and composition. Moreover, the diffusible hydrogen content in weld metal was analyzed by the carrier gas hot extraction method. Post-weld induction heating could reduce the diffusible hydrogen content by −34% in 30 m simulated water depth.

The element lithium has been discovered 200 years ago. Due to its unique properties it has emerged to play a vital role in industry, esp. for energy storage, and lithium-based products and processes support sustainable technological developments. In addition to the many uses of lithium in its inorganic forms, lithium has a rich organometallic chemistry. The development of organometallic chemistry has been hindered by synthetic problems from the start. When Wilhelm Schlenk developed the basic principles to handle and synthesize air- and moisture-sensitive compounds, the road was open to further developments. After more information was available about the stability and solubility of such compounds, they started to play an essential role in other fields of chemistry as alkyl or aryl transfer reagents.

A series of alkali metal (Li–Cs) alkoxides of tert-pentanol (1,1-dimethylpropan-1-ol) have been prepared by reaction of the corresponding metal with the alcohol in n-hexane or n-heptane. The compounds were purified by vacuum sublimation and crystallised in n-hexane to produce crystals suitable for single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The structures of the potassium, rubidium, and caesium compounds revealed tetrameric units with additional intra- and intermolecular interactions between the metal atom and alkoxide methyl groups, increasing with the size of the metal involved.

Due to the rising number of offshore structures all over the world, underwater wet welding has become increasingly relevant, mainly as a repair method. Welding in direct contact with water involves numerous challenges. A topic focused by many studies is the risk of hydrogen-induced cracking in wet weldments due to hardness values of up to 500 HV 0.2 in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and high levels of diffusible hydrogen in the weld metal. The risk of cracking increases as the equivalent carbon content rises, because the potential to form martensitic structures within the HAZ rises too. Thus, high-strength steels are especially prone to hydrogen-induced cracking and are considered unsafe for underwater wet repair weldments. © 2020 The Authors. Materials and Corrosion published by Wiley-VCH GmbH

Gemische aus Alkyllithium und Alkoxiden der schweren Alkalimetalle eignen sich zur Herstellung der entsprechenden Alkylverbindungen. Sie zeichnen sich ebenfalls durch ihre Reaktivitat bei Metallierungsreaktionen aus. Diese metallorganischen Mischungen werden oft als LiC-KOR-Superbasen bezeichnet, doch trotz vieler Bemuhungen ist nur wenig uber ihren Aufbau bekannt. Hier werden dimetallische Alkalimetall-Alkyl/Alkoxy-Verbindungen vorgestellt, die durch die Reaktion von Neopentyllithium und Kalium-tert-butoxid gebildet werden. Dank guter Loslichkeit in Alkanen und Temperaturbestandigkeit der Neopentylverbindungen konnten die Losungen in n-Hexan bei Umgebungstemperatur gehandhabt werden und ermoglichten die Isolierung durch Kristallisation. Die Verbindungen konnten durch Rontgendiffraktometrie und NMR-Spektroskopie sowohl in fester Form als auch in Losung als Li/K-Neopentyl/tert-Butoxy-Aggregate mit veranderlicher Zusammensetzung LixKyNpz(OtBu)x+y−z identifiziert werden.

The element lithium has been discovered 200 years ago. Due to its unique properties it has emerged to play a vital role in industry, esp. for energy storage, and lithium‐based products and processes support sustainable technological developments. In addition to the many uses of lithium in its inorganic forms, lithium has a rich organometallic chemistry. The development of organometallic chemistry has been hindered by synthetic problems from the start. When Wilhelm Schlenk developed the basic principles to handle and synthesize air‐ and moisture‐sensitive compounds, the road was open to further developments. After more information was available about the stability and solubility of such compounds, they started to play an essential role in other fields of chemistry as alkyl or aryl transfer reagents.

Two new magnesium complexes containing the important utility amide 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide (TMP) have been synthesised. Treating the magnesium bis(alkyl) reagent (Me3SiCH2)2Mg with a molar equivalent of TMP(H) in hydrocarbon medium produces the dimeric alkylmagnesium amide complex [(Me3SiCH2)Mg(μ-TMP)]22, which was isolated in high yield. X-ray crystallography revealed that 2 was an unsymmetrical dimer as unusually the two TMP ligands adopt different conformations – one a chair, the other a twisted boat. Solution studies (multinuclear NMR and DOSY NMR spectroscopies) show that 2 undergoes a monomerisation and Schlenk equilibrium in d8-THF. When (Me3SiCH2)2Mg was reacted with two molar equivalents of TMP(H) in hydrocarbon medium [in an effort to prepare Mg(TMP)2] a crystalline sample of a surprising product, a tetranuclear triheteroanionic amide-alkoxide-amidoalkene [(TMP)Mg(μ-TMP){μ-N(H)C(Me)2CH2CH2CH2C(Me) = CH2}Mg(μ-OCH2SiMe3)]23 was obtained. Complex 3 contains two unexpected anions, namely the alkoxide produced via oxygen insertion into a Mg–C bond, and the primary amidoalkene which is produced via ring opening of the TMP anion.

Five novel neutral homometallic complexes which contain the anthracen-9-olate anion have been prepared and characterised by treating anthrone with an organometallic base to induce aromatisation. Three of these complexes [(donor)·M(OC(14)H(9))](2) (2-4) are dimeric and contain sodium, lithium and potassium respectively. For 2 and 3 the donor is N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) whilst for 4 it is N,N,N',N'',N''-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA). When bimetallic reagents such as [(TMEDA)·Na(μ-(t)Bu)(μ-TMP)Zn((t)Bu)] are employed, only the alkali-metal-containing species is isolated (e.g., 2 in this case). Providing a contrast, complexes 5 [(TMEDA)·Mg(OC(14)H(9))(n)Bu] and 6 [(TMEDA)·Zn(OC(14)H(9))Et] are monomeric. The alkali metal complexes were prepared by reacting anthrone with one molar equivalent of either n-butylsodium, n-butyllithium or (trimethylsilyl)methylpotassium in the presence of the required donor solvent. For 5 and 6, equimolar quantities of di-n-butylmagnesium and diethylzinc, respectively, were reacted with anthrone in the presence of TMEDA. The solid-state structures and the arene solution structures of 2-6 have been determined by X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy respectively.

We describe the synthesis of the compound [(TMEDA)Li(μ-TMP)(μ-CHCH2)Zn(C2H3)] (1) (TMEDA = N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine, TMP = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide), which serves as a potential model compound for anionic ethene polymerisation, and its decomposition into the metallated compound [Li(μ-Me2NCH2CH2N(Me)CH2)(μ-TMP)Zn(C2H3)] (4). The previously reported compound [(PMDETA)K(μ-TMP)(μ-CHCH2)-Zn(CH2SiMe3)] (2) (PMDETA = N,N,N′,N′′,N′′-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine) and 1 are used as potential model compounds for anionic ethene polymerisation. Detailed Density Functional Theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory on both 1 and 2 in conjunction with Bader AIM and NBO analyses revealed a substantial interaction between the Zn–CH atom and the Li (in 1, dLi–CH = 2.43 A) or K (in 2, dK–CH = 3.01 A). In fact, in the case of 1, this interaction is even stronger (estimated to be 20–30 kJ mol−1) than those reported in the previously reported DFT studies of the reaction with butyl lithium and ethene in the presence of diamino ligands. Our theoretical results are in good agreement with experimentally observed parameters.

Mixtures of alkyllithium and heavier alkali-metal alkoxides are often used to form alkyl compounds of heavier alkali metals, but these mixtures are also known for their high reactivity in deprotonative metalation reactions. These organometallic mixtures are often called LiC-KOR superbases, but despite many efforts their constitution remains unknown. Herein we present mixed alkali-metal alkyl/alkoxy compounds produced by reaction of neopentyllithium with potassium tert-butoxide. The key to success was the good solubility and temperature-stability of neopentyl alkali-metal compounds, leading to hexane-soluble mixtures, which allowed handling at ambient temperatures and isolation by crystallization. The compounds in solid state and in solution were identified by X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy as mixtures of lithium/potassium neopentyl/tert-butoxy aggregates of varying compositions Lix Ky Npz (OtBu)x+y-z .

This paper presents the synthesis and characterization of new homoleptic lithium magnesiate reagents incorporating the silyl-substituted alkyl ligand CH2SiMe3 in the presence of a variety of Lewis base donors, namely tetrahydrofuran (THF), 1,4-dioxane, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA), and N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA). The constitution of these bimetallic compounds has been assessed in both the solid state and solution using a combination of X-ray crystallographic studies and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, including 1H diffusion-ordered (1H-DOSY) NMR experiments. These studies highlight the major role played by the donor molecule in controlling the structure of the complexes as well as the wide structural diversity available for these mixed-metal species ranging from discrete molecules, as found for [(PMDETA)LiMg(CH2SiMe3)3] (6), to more complex supramolecular arrangements, as in the 1D-polymeric chain [{(THF)LiMg(CH2SiMe3)3}∞] (2) or in the stoichiometrically distinct d...

(Trimethylsilyl)methylrubidium [RbCH2SiMe3] (1) and (trimethylsilyl)methylcesium [CsCH2SiMe3] (2) were prepared by metathesis reactions of (trimethylsilyl)methyllithium [LiCH2SiMe3] with rubidium or cesium tert-butoxide in n-hexane. Both new compounds are pyrophoric powders which were characterised by NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. They can be used as deprotonating agents towards secondary amines such as 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (TMPH). The resulting amides [RbTMP] (3) and [CsTMP] (4) form temperature-sensitive, n-hexane-insoluble orange solids. Treatment with the bidentate donor N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) produces the corresponding n-hexane-soluble complexes. The crystal structures of [(TMEDA)RbTMP] (3a) and [(TMEDA)CsTMP] (4a) were determined to be closely related to that of [(TMEDA)KTMP]. Thus they are dimers with frameworks that consist of four-membered MNMN rings (M = Rb, Cs or K, N = TMP). The versatility and stability observed should make these (trimethylsilyl)methyl and TMP compounds of rubidium (1, 3a) and cesium (2, 4a) valuable starting points for further exploration of the chemistry of these heavy alkali metals.

The sterically encumbered polymeric dialkyl complexes [M(CH2SiMe3)(2)](infinity) [M = Mg, Mn-II] were deaggregated by the potent two-electron sigma-donor, 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-imidazol-2-ylidene (IPr), to yield the first examples of the monomeric three-coordinate [M(CH2SiMe3)(2)]center dot donor complexes [M = Mg (1); Mn (2)]. Similarly, monomeric three-coordinate species M[CH(SiMe3)(2)](2)center dot IPr [M = Mg, (3); Mn, (4)] were obtained from the bulkier disilyl-substituted alkyl [CH-(SiMe3)(2)] congeners M[CH(SiMe3)(2)](2)center dot ether by displacement of the ether by IPr. Complexes 1-4, which represent rare examples of N-heterocyclic-carbene-stabilized dialkylmagnesium and dialkylmanganese species, were crystallographically characterized; the diamagnetic magnesium complexes were also characterized in an arene solution by H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy.

Triple-crossed: An extraordinary crossing reaction involving three popular utility organolithium reagents nBuLi, LiTMP (TMP=2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide), and LiC5H5 leads to the unexpected deprotonation of C5H5− anions to C5H42− dianions, which was manifested through the trapping of the hexameric nBuLi cage by a [{Li(μ-TMP)Li(μ-C5H5)}4] molecular square ring (see picture).

[(Trimethylsilyl) methyl] sodium [NaCH2SiMe3] (1) was prepared by a metathesis reaction of [(trimethylsilyl) methyl] lithium [LiCH2SiMe3] with sodium tert-butoxide in n-hexane. Polydentate donors such as N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) and N,N,N', N '', N ''-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) form n-hexane-soluble complexes of 1 and the potassium congener [KCH2SiMe3] (2). The crystal structures of the polymers [(TMEDA) NaCH2SiMe3] (1a) and [(PMDETA) KCH2SiMe3] (2a) were determined as infinite helical chains exhibiting 3(1) or 3(2) screw-axis symmetry. Compound 2b was obtained as the donor-deficient heterocubane pseudotetramer [(TMEDA)(3)(KCH2SiMe3)(4)], with intermolecular interactions of the TMEDA-uncoordinated potassium atom with a peripheral methyl group of a neighbouring tetramer to form infinite chains. The relatively easy accessibility and stability should make these (trimethylsilyl) methyl compounds of sodium and potassium valuable starting points for further exploration of the chemistry of these common-utility heavier alkali metals.

Metalation has served well for over 80 years as a vehicle for transforming inert C[BOND]H bonds in organic compounds to reactive C[BOND]metal bonds.1 Progress in metalation was accelerated greatly by the development of DoM (directed ortho-metalation),2 pioneered by Snieckus, Beak, and others, a special type of lithiation (aromatic C[BOND]H to Cδ−[BOND]Liδ+) reliant on the high polarity of carbon–lithium bonds in organolithium reagents. Many other metals could not engage in metalation due to the lower polarity/lower reactivity of their corresponding carbon–metal bonds. However, this obstacle has now been cleared by the recognition that when part of a mixed-metal system or other multicomponent mixture, these metals (for example, magnesium, zinc, aluminum or manganese) can exhibit greatly enhanced metalating properties often superior in terms of functional-group compatibility or reaction conditions to that of lithium. Interest in these new “low polarity” metalating agents is widespread with coverage in fundamental chemistry journals,3 process chemistry journals,4 interdisciplinary science journals,5 and in news items in scientific media.6 Knochel’s turbo-Grignard reagents (e.g., (iPr)MgCl⋅LiCl) 7 are examples that have been commercialized. A spectacular demonstration of the special reactivity of bimetallic bases came with the α-zincation of tetrahydrofuran (THF) by the sodium dialkyl(amido)zincate [(TMEDA)Na(μ-TMP)(μ-CH2SiMe3)Zn(CH2SiMe3)] (TMEDA=N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine; TMP=2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine) to produce [(TMEDA)Na(μ-TMP)(μ-OC4H7)Zn(CH2SiMe3)].5 Conventional metalation of THF invariably initiates decomposition by ring opening,8 but in this low-polarity zincation the 5-atom ring of the sensitive α-deprotonated THF anion remains intact. However, this reaction is extremely slow (best yield was 52.7 % after 2 weeks) and requires a massive stoichiometric excess of the cyclic ether (i.e., carried out in neat THF solvent). Here we report a vastly superior methodology to the cyclic THF α-anion, mediated by a lithium aluminate base with a higher amido content than the alkyl-rich zincate reagent. An analogous reaction with the sulfur analogue, tetrahydrothiophene (THTP), is also reported.

A systematic study of the stoichiometric alkylation reactions of 2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone 1 with [ZnR(2)(TMEDA)] (R= Me, Et, (t)Bu, CH(2)SiMe(3); TMEDA= N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine) monitored by (1)H and (19)F NMR spectroscopy is presented. For R = Me, Et the alkylation products alkyl(alkoxides) [(TMEDA)Zn(R){OC(CF(3))(R)Ph}] (R = Me, 2: Et, 3) are obtained as the single products of the reaction. When the steric bulk of the dialkylzinc reagent is increased the alkylation reaction is inhibited. Thus, for R = (t)Bu, the reduction product [(TMEDA)Zn((t)Bu){OC(CF(3))(H)Ph}] is obtained as a result of beta-hydride elimination from one of the (t)Bu groups of the organometallic reagent. (1)H NMR spectroscopic monitoring of the reaction allowed the detection of isobutene as a side product of this reduction process. For the highly sterically demanding group R = CH(2)SiMe(3) which lacks hydrogen atoms at the beta position, no reaction is observed even under refluxing conditions. Two important intermediates from these reactions have been structurally elucidated: [(TMEDA)Zn(Me){OC(CF(3))(Me)Ph}] (2) which could be involved in the previously reported alkylation reaction of trifluoromethyl ketones by ZnR(2) catalysed by TMEDA and unprecedented tetranuclear [((t)Bu)(2)Zn(4){OC(CF(3))(H)Ph}(6)] (5) resulting from the reduction of 1 when reacted with (t)Bu(2)Zn, which displays a rare Zn...Zn...Zn...Zn linear chain arrangement for a zinc alkyl(alkoxide).

Four novel heterobimetallic ate complexes containing cis-2,6-dimethylpiperidide (cis-DMP) have been prepared and characterised. Two contain one cis-DMP ligand, namely the bisalkyl-amido lithium, and sodium zincates [(TMEDA) x MZn(cis-DMP)(tBu)2] (M = Li for 1, Na for 2). Both 1 and 2 are synthesised by co-complexation of the respective alkali metal amide with di-tert-butylzinc in the presence of a molar equivalent of N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) in a hydrocarbon medium. The third complex, containing two cis-DMP ligands, is the alkyl-bisamido sodium zincate [(TMEDA) x NaZn(cis-DMP)2(tBu)] 3. Complex 3 is prepared from 2 via a disproportionation reaction where the by-product is [(TMEDA) x NaZn(tBu)3]. Another alkyl-diamido sodium zincate, [(TMEDA) x NaZn(DIBA)2(tBu)] 4 is synthesised by utilising diisobutylamine [DIBA(H)]. This reaction emphasises the generality of this disproportionation process. Complex 5 contains three cis-DMP ligands and is a tris-amido sodium magnesiate [(TMEDA) x NaMg(cis-DMP)3]. It is prepared by treating an equimolar mixture of butylsodium and dibutylmagnesium with three and one molar equivalents of cis-DMP(H) and TMEDA respectively, in hydrocarbon solution. By comparison of 1-5 with appropriate complexes from the literature, it has been possible to experimentally determine that the steric bulk of cis-DMP closely resembles that of DA but is considerably less bulky than 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide (TMP).

Lithium, sodium and potassium salts of diphenylamine have been prepared by using a deprotonative route and characterised in both, solid state (by X-ray crystallography) and solution(by NMR spectroscopic studies). In each case the metal atom's coordination sphere is completed by coordination to the synthetically important co-ligand N,N,N,N-tetramethylethylenediamine (tmeda). Complexes 1 and 2 [{(tmeda)- M(NPh2)}2] (M = Li for 1, Na for 2) can be prepared by treating 1 mol.-equiv. of the parent amine with an equimolar quantity of nBuM and tmeda in hexane solution. In the solid state, 1 and 2 are essentially isostructural, being dimeric with a four-atom M-N-M-N framework. The coordination sphere of each M atom is completed by a bidentate tmeda molecule. Complex 3 [{(tmeda)3/2K(NPh2)}2] has been prepared in a similar way to 1 and 2 except that benzylpotassium has been Alkali metal amides and their solvates are continuing to attract a great deal of interest due to their use in alkali metal/hydrogen exchange reactions.[1-5] In particular, the metal salts of diisopropylamine [da(H)], 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexamethyldisilazane [hmds(H)] and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine [tmp(H)] are widely utilised across synthetic laboratories primarily because of the desirable combination of high Bronsted basicity and low nucleophilicity. Of particular interest in this study, another amido reagent, the thermally highly stable lithium diphenylamide (LiNPh2), has shown promise in a range of synthetic transformations. As well as regioselective deprotonation reactions,[6-10] it has also been used in catalytic aldol reactions involving silyl enol ethers and aldehydes;[11,12] in elimination applications;[13,14] in metathetical reactions;[15-27] during the preparation of amino-containing carbenes,[28] and as an initiator in the polymerisation of methyl methacrylate.[29]

Treatment of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) with a group 1 metal (Li, Na, K, Rb, or Cs), resulted in the reduction of this important radical to the TEMPO(-) anion--the first examples of elemental-metal single electron reduction of the radical to its anionic form. The synthesis and characterization of seven alkali metal TEMPO(-) complexes are reported. A variety of structural motifs are encountered depending on the choice of metal and/or solvent. (THF)(2) x [Li(+)(TEMPO(-))](4) 1 crystallized from THF as a cyclic (Li(4)O(4)) molecule. Two Li centers are stabilized by coordination to a THF molecule; the others by intramolecular coordination to N(TEMPO) atoms. [(THF) x Na(+)(TEMPO(-))](4) 2 exists as a distorted cubane where each Na center is coordinated to a THF molecule. No appreciable Na-N(TEMPO) coordination is observed. [(THF)(2) x Na(+)(3)(TEMPO(-))(2)(OH)](2) 3 was serendipitously prepared and exists as a distorted bis(cubane). It is envisaged that 3 is formed from 2 by insertion of a (Na-OH)(2) double bridge into its framework. [Na(+)(4)(mu(3)-TEMPO(-))(2)(mu(2)-TEMPO(-))(2)(TMEDA)(2)] 4, adopts a four-runged ladder structure, whereby the two outer Na centers are coordinated to TMEDA, in addition to two mu(2)-O and a N atom. The inner metal atoms are bound to three mu(3)-O atoms and a N atom. [(THF) x K(+)(TEMPO(-))](4) 5 resembles the motif found for 2; however, presumably because of the larger size of the metal, K-N(TEMPO) interactions are present in 5. The asymmetric unit of [(TMEDA) x Rb(+)(2)(TEMPO(-))(2)](2) 6 comprises a Rb(4)O(4) cubane with half a molecule of TMEDA coordinated to each metal. From a supramolecular perspective, 6 exists as a polymeric array of cubane units connected by TMEDA bridges. Completing the series, [Cs(+)(TEMPO)](infinity) 7 crystallizes from hexane to form a donor-free polymeric complex. Complexes 1, 2, and 4-7 are soluble in D(8)-THF solution, and their NMR spectra are reported. The solution structures in donor solvent appear virtually identical.

First synthesized in 1976 and recently taking on a new significance as a key precursor to heterobimetallic alkali-metal-manganese(II) complexes, bis[(trimethylsilyl)methyl] manganese has been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. It forms a polymeric chain structure of formula [{Mn(CH2SiMe3)(2)}(infinity)], 1, in which distorted tetrahedral, spiro Mn atoms are linked together via mu(2)-bonding alkyl ligands. The structure is notable for displaying two distinct categories of Mn-C bond lengths with a mean size differential of 0.225 angstrom and for being the first fully crystallographically characterized polymeric manganese(II) dialkyl compound. Magnetic measurements of 1 indicate a surprisingly strong spin exchange coupling of J approximate to -45 cm(-1) between the manganese ions aligned along the chain. Four Lewis base complexes of bis[(trimethyl silyl)methyl] manganese have also been subjected to X-ray crystallographic studies. Previously known [TMEDA center dot Mn(CH2SiMe3)(2)], 2, and [(pyridine)(2)Mn(CH2SiMe3)(2)], 3, both adopt a simple monomeric arrangement with C2N2 distorted tetrahedral coordinations of the metal atom. Synthesized by direct addition of the Lewis base to 1, two further, new complexes, [{(dioxane)-[Mn(CH2SiMe3)(2)](2)}(infinity)], 4, and [{(dioxane)[Mn(CH2SiMe3)(2)]}(infinity)], 5, are also reported. Hemisolvate 4 displays dimeric [(Me3SiCH2)Mn(mu-CH2SiMe3)(2)Mn(CH2SiMe3)] subunits, whereas 1:1 solvate 5 consists of monomeric subunits of [{Mn(CH2SiMe3)(2)}(infinity)]; in both cases these subunits are linked together via O(CH2CH2)(2)O bridges to generate one-dimensional polymers.

With the aim of introducing the diisopropylamide [NiPr(2)](-) ligand to alkali-metal-mediated manganation (AMMMn) chemistry, the temperature-dependent reactions of a 1:1:3 mixture of butylsodium, bis(trimethylsilylmethyl)manganese(II), and diisopropylamine with ferrocene in hexane/toluene have been investigated. Performed at reflux temperature, the reaction affords the surprising, ferrocene-free, hydrido product [Na(2)Mn(2) (mu-H)(2){N(iPr)(2)}(4)]2 toluene (1), the first Mn hydrido inverse crown complex. Repeating the reaction rationally, excluding ferrocene, produces 1 in an isolated crystalline yield of 62 %. At lower temperatures, the same bimetallic amide mixture leads to the manganation of ferrocene to generate the first trimanganese, trinuclear ferrocenophane, [{Fe(C(5)H(4))(2)}(3){Mn(3)Na(2)(NiPr(2))(2) (HNiPr(2))(2)}] (2) in an isolated crystalline yield of 81 %. Both 1 and 2 have been characterised by X-ray crystallographic studies. The magnetic properties of paramagnetic 1 and 2 have also been examined by variable-temperature magnetisation measurements on powdered samples. For 1, the room-temperature value for chiT is 3.45 cm(3) K mol(-1), and on lowering the temperature a strong antiferromagnetic coupling between the two Mn ions is observed. For 2, the room-temperature value for chiT is 4.06 cm(3) K mol(-1), which is significantly lower than the expected value for three isolated paramagnetic Mn(II) ions.

Meta-meta metalation: Remarkably, toluene can be directly dimanganated or dimagnesiated at the 3,5-positions using bimetallic bases with active Me3SiCH2 ligands (see scheme, blue). In contrast, n-butyl ligands lead to 2,5-metalation (red). tmp=2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide.

Unsolvated hypersilanides MHyp [Hyp = Si(SiMe3)(3)] of the heavier alkali metals (M-I = Na, K, Cs) react with copper tert-butoxide in toluene to yield crystalline heteroleptic cuprates [M-I(toluene)][tBuOCuHyp]. These cuprates proved to be valuable sources for pure hypersilylcopper and other cuprates bearing hypersilyl ligands such as the di(hypersilyl)cuprates M-I[CuHyp(2)]((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003).

Using structurally well-defined dipotassium- tetra(alkyl)magnesiates, a new straightforward methodology to promote regioselective Mg-H exchange reactions of a wide range of aromatic and heteroaromatic substrates is disclosed. Contacted ion pair intermediates are likely to be involved, with K being the key to facilitate the magnesiation processes.

Treatment of tribenzotriquinacene with trimethylsilylmethyl sodium [NaCH2SiMe3] or potassium hydride [KH] leads to the formation of monometalated products. The sodium atom interacts with the carbanion in an exo fashion, while the potassium atom is found in an endo position inside the rigid bowl-shaped molecule.

Upon treatment with aluminium trichloride in absolute chloroform, beta -D-galactopyranose penta-O-acetate was converted in high yield into tetra-O-acetyl-beta -D-galactopyranosyl chloride. In the presence of N-bromosuccinimide in boiling carbon tetrachloride, homolytic substitution of the anomeric hydrogen atom in this beta -chloride occurred selectively to afford tetra-O-acetyl-1-bromo-beta -D-galactopyranosyl chloride, in admixture with minor amounts of tetra-O-acetyl-D-galactopyranosylidene chloride. Bromine substitution by fluorine took place with a low stereoselectivity in tetra-O-acetyl-1-bromo-beta -D-galactopyranosyl chloride when treated with 1.25 equiv silver fluoride in acetonitrile, whereas tetra-O-acetyl-beta -galactopyranosylidene fluoride could be prepared in 54% yield with 3.3 equiv AgF. The gem-difluoride could be deacetylated quantitatively. Upon treatment with 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2] octane, peracetylated 1-bromo-beta -D-galactopyranosyl chloride underwent 1,2-elimination of hydrogen bromide to afford 2,3,4,6-tetra-0-acetyl-D-lyxo-hex-1-enopyranosyl chloride in 33 % yield. (C) 2001 Academie des sciences / Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.

No Cr-Cr bonding is found in a new type of mixed-metal ate complex having two coordinatively unsaturated but sterically saturated bisamido-monoalkyl Cr(II) groups linked via an unusual near-square-planar-coordinated K atom in the moiety of the ate, while the cationic moiety is a separated iris-tmeda solvated second potassium atom.

Bis(hypersilyl)tin (1) and bis(hypersilyl)lead (2) [hypersilyl= Hyp = tris(trimethylsilyl)silyl] undergo ligand exchange reactions with other carbene homologues to yield heteroleptic distannenes or diplumbenes. Here we report the extension of this reaction principle to coordinatively unsaturated arylcopper(I) compounds. The primary reaction products are probably adducts with the carbene homologues as Lewis base and the arylcopper compounds as Lewis acids. This is followed by rearrangement to the adducts HypCu-E-(Hyp)Ar* (E = Sn (6) and Pb (7); Ar* = C(6)H(3)Mes(2)-2,6,) of hypersilylcopper (9) and the heteroleptic stannanediyl or plumbanediyl. The complex may be the final product or may dissociate into its component parts, free hypersilylcopper (9) and the appropriate heteroleptic carbene homologue. The colorless hypersilylcopper forms a trimer (9), in the solid state with short Cu Cu contacts (238.4-241.5 pm). All observed Cu-Si bonds are relatively long. However, shorter distances (234.9-237.4pm) alternate with longer ones (249.2 pm), such that quasi-monomeric hypersilylcopper units can be identified. The dark green complex 6 exhibits a shorter Cu-Si bond (227.3 pm), The Sn-Cu bond length was determined to be 249.9 pm. The turquoise plumbanediyl Pb(Hyp)Ar* (8) is the first strictly monomeric mixed aryl silyl derivative, even in the solid state. The steric repulsions are obviously less than in the parent homoleptic compounds because the Pb-C bond in 8 is shorter (229.0 pm) and the C-Pb-Si angle (109.2 degrees) is markedly smaller.

Extending to transition metals, the class of compounds known as inverse crown ethers, two mixed alkali metal-manganese(II) amide ring compounds with oxo cores have been synthesised and crystallographically characterised, together with an oxo-free alkyl-amido precursor.

Three Lewis base variations of the synthetically useful aluminate [L x Li(TMP)((i)Bu)Al((i)Bu)2], where L is TMPH, Et3N or PhC(=O)N(i)Pr2, are reported, together with the reaction of the benzamide complex with 1,4-dioxane, which surprisingly leads to fragmentation of the cyclic ether and capture of its alkoxy vinyl ether residue within a novel dilithium dialuminium hexaalkyl aggregate.

Two new alkali metal monoalkyl-bisamido magnesiates, the potassium compound [KMg(TMP)2nBu] and its sodium congener [NaMg(TMP) 2nBu] have been synthesised in crystalline form (TMP = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide). Devoid of solvating ligands and possessing excellent solubility in hydrocarbon solvents, these compounds open up a new gateway for the synthesis of inverse crowns. X-ray crystallography established that [KMg(TMP)2nBu] exists in three polymorphic forms, namely a helical polymer with an infinite KNMgN chain, a hexamer with a 24-atom (KNMgN)6 ring having endo-disposed alkyl substituents, and a tetramer with a 16-atom (KNMgN)4 ring also having endo-disposed alkyl substituents. Proving their validity as pre-inverse-crowns, both magnesiates react with benzene and toluene to generate known inverse crowns in syntheses much improved from the original, supporting the idea that the metallations take place via a template effect. [KMg(TMP)2nBu] reacts with naphthalene to generate the new inverse crown [KMg(TMP)2(2-C 10H7)]6, the molecular structure of which shows a 24-atom (KNMgN)6 host ring with six naphthalene guest anions regioselectively magnesiated at the 2-position. An alternative unprecedented 1,4-dimagnesiation of naphthalene was accomplished via [NaMg(TMP) 2nBu] and its NaTMP co-complex "[NaMg(TMP) 2nBu]·NaTMP", manifested in [{Na 4Mg2(TMP)4(2,2,6-trimethyl-1,2,3,4- tetrahydropyridide)2}(1,4-C10H6)]. Adding to its novelty, this 12-atom (NaNNaNMgN)2 inverse crown structure contains two demethylated TMP ligands as well as four intact ones. Reactivity studies show that the naphthalen-ide and -di-ide inverse crowns can be regioselectively iodinated to 2-iodo and 1,4-diiodonaphthalene respectively.

More usually thought of as a base, the sodium zincate [(TMEDA)·Na(μ-TMP)(μ-(t)Bu)Zn((t)Bu)] 1 can undergo single electron transfer with TEMPO to give [(TMEDA)·Na(μ-TMP)(μ-TEMPO(-))Zn((t)Bu)] 2 and [(TMEDA)·Na(μ-TEMPO(-))(2)Zn((t)Bu)] 3; and with chalcone [PhCOCH=CHPh] gives [{(TMEDA)·Na(μ-TMP)Zn((t)Bu)}(2)(μ-OCPhCH=CHPhCHPhCH=CPh-μ-O)] which contains two chalcone units C-C coupled though their benzylic C atoms.

The study of co-complexation reactions between NaCH(2)SiMe(3) and Mg(CH(2)SiMe(3))(2) has allowed the isolation and structural elucidation of the first solvent-free alkali-metal alkylmagnesiate [{NaMg(CH(2)SiMe(3))(3)}(∞)] (1) as well as the related solvent-free sodium alkyl [{(NaCH(2)SiMe(3))(4)}(∞)] (3).