Alkali metal reduction of 1,3,2-diazaborol and 1,3,2-diazagermol derivatives based on 1,2-bis[(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene.

The reduction of [(dpp-bian)BBr] (1, dpp-bian = 1,2-bis[(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene) with dilithium naphthalenide in Et2O gives [{(dpp-bian)BBr}Li2(Et2O)2]2 (3). The treatment of [(dpp-bian)BONa] (5) and [(dpp-bian)Ge:] (7) with sodium is accompanied by protonation of the acenaphthylene fragment and affords [{(H-dpp-bian)BONa(dme)2}Na(dme)3] (6) and [(H-dpp-bian)Ge:][Na(dme)3] (8), respectively. Compounds 3, 6 and 8 have been characterized by 1H NMR and IR spectroscopy. The molecular structures of 3, [(dpp-bian)BOK] (4) and 8 have been established by single crystal X-ray analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]