Trinuclear magnesium complexes stabilized by aminoalkoxide ligands

New magnesium complexes, [Et2Mg3(dmamp)4] (1) and [(CH2=CH)2Mg3(dmamp)4] (2), were prepared by the reaction of alkylmagnesium bromide with sodium 1-dimethylamino-2-methyl-2-propoxide [Na(dmamp)] in THF. Complexes 1 and 2 were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies, FTIR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The XRD analysis showed that these complexes are trinuclear where the alkoxy O is the μ2-O bridge between the Mg ions. Among the three metal centers, the two terminal Mg ions are five coordinate and have a square–pyramidal geometry, whereas the central Mg is four coordinate with a distorted tetrahedral geometry. The combination of ethyl and vinyl groups with sterically bulky aminoalkoxide ligands plays an important role in stabilizing the molecule.