Browsing by Author "Wheatley, AEH"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Neutron diffraction characterization of C–H···Li interactions in a lithium aluminate polymer
    (ACS Publications, 2014-05-01) Cole, JM; Waddell, PG; Wheatley, AEH; McIntyre, GJ; Peel, AJ; Tate, CW; Linton, DJ
    The reaction of AlMe3 with tBuLi in the presence of trimethylacetonitrile affords the bimetallic complex [tBu(Me)Al(μ-Me)2Li·NC(tBu)]∞ (1). Pseudotetrahedral Al centers form by the nucelophilic addition of tBuLi to AlMe3.The alkali-metal center is stabilized through coordination of the unreacted nitrile and polymer formation via the construction of Al(μ-Me)nLi (n = 1, 2) motifs. Neutron diffraction evidences agostic interactions in the bridging methyl group to give further stabilization. There is only one previous report of a neutron structure of a lithium aluminate compound. This work therefore offers an important structural example of agostic interactions and the precise nature of Al(μ-Me)2Li bridging.© 2014, American Chemical Society.