Magnesium complexes supported by a dianionic double layer nitrogen-phosphorus ligand: a synthesis and reactivity study.

A heterobimetallic complex [MeN(CH 2 CH 2 NP i Pr) 2 MgLiCl(THF)] 2 (1) supported by a dianionic double layer nitrogen-phosphorus ligand was synthesized by the reaction of H2L1 (H2L1 = MeN(CH 2 CH 2 NHP i Pr) 2 ) with MgCl 2 in the presence of n -BuLi. Reactions of complex 1 with 2 equivalents of CuI, AgI and AuCl·SMe 2 led to the formation of heterobimetallic clusters [MeN(CH 2 CH 2 NP i Pr) 2 MgCuI] 2 (2), [MeN(CH 2 CH 2 NP i Pr) 2 MgAgI] 2 (3) and [MeN(CH 2 CH 2 NP i Pr) 2 MgAuCl] 2 (4), respectively. X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis revealed that these complexes are dimers, which are composed of two [MeN(CH 2 CH 2 NP i Pr) 2 Mg] units connected by coinage metals ( i.e. , Cu, Ag, and Au). The reactivity of 1 was further investigated and it was found that complex 1 could react with 4 equivalents of MeI, giving a complex [CH 3 N(CH 2 CH 2 NP i Pr 2 Me) 2 MgI] + [I] - (5), which can be viewed as a magnesium complex supported by a neutral double layer nitrogen-phosphorus ligand (CH 3 N(CH 2 CH 2 NP i Pr 2 Me) 2 ). Complex 1 could also react with 2 equivalents of NaNH 2 , leading to the isolation of an amido anion bridged magnesium-sodium heterobimetallic cluster [MeN(CH 2 CH 2 NP i Pr) 2 MgNaNH 2 ] 2 (6).