The rigid diarylamido-based PNP pincer ligands are extraordinary tools with the potential to broaden the scope of main group element chemistry. These ligands have been shown to stabilize metal complexes with unusual environments about the metal center. This is partly owing to the enforcement of tridentate ligation (a central amido N-donor and two neutral phosphine arms) by the rigid pincer backbone. Our objective has been to investigate the potential of the PNP pincer ligands to give rise to hypercoordinate compounds of main group elements. Reaction of the alkali metal amide form of the PNP ligand and aluminum chloride gives rise to (PNP)AlCl2. Alkylaluminum derivatives (PNP)AlR2 were synthesized by alkylation of (PNP)AlCl2. Alternatively, (PNP)AlR2 could be prepared via alkane elimination in the reaction between the amine form of the PNP ligand and AlR3. All of the (PNP)AlX2 complexes reported contain five-coordinate Al centers. Their syntheses and characterization by NMR and X-Ray diffraction will be discussed. Continuing research focuses on the exploration of the potential hypervalence in the boron analogues.
Web Page: people.brandeis.edu/~ozerov
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