Reactions of amides with organoaluminum compounds: factors affecting the coordination mode of aluminum amidates

Factors affecting the coordination mode of an amidato group on aluminum will be presented. The reaction of N-tert-butylalkylacetamide ((t)BuNHCR(double bond]O)) with 1.1 molar equiv of Me(3)Al in refluxing hexane affords a pentacoordinated, dimeric compound Me(2)Aleta(2)-(t)BuNC(R)(mu(2)-O)]](2) (3, R = p-(t)Bu-C(6)H(4); 4, R = 2,6-F,F-C(6)H(3); 5, R = Me; 6, R = CF(3); 7, R = p-F(3)C-C(6)H(4)). However, in the presence of 2.2 molar equiv of Me(3)Al, N-tert-butyl-4-tert-butylbenzamide ((t)BuNHC(p-(t)Bu-C(6)H(4))(double bond]O in refluxing hexane gives Me(2)Aleta(2)-(t)BuNC(p-(t)Bu-C(6)H(4))(mu(2)-O)]AlMe(3)], 8. In contrast, the reaction of R'NHCR' '(double bond]O) with 1 molar equiv of R(3)Al at room temperature produces tetracoordinated, dimeric, eight-membered ring aluminum compounds R(2)Almu,eta(2)-R'NC(R' ')O]](2) (9, R = Me, R' = 2,6-(i)Pr, (i)()Pr-C(6)H(3), R' ' = Ph; 10, R = Me, R' = (i)Bu, R' ' = Ph; 11, R = Et, R' = Bn, R' ' = Ph; 12, R = Me, R' = Ph, R' ' = CF(3); 13, R = Me, R' = Bn, R' ' = CF(3)). On the other hand, 4'-chlorobenzanilide ((p-Cl-C(6)H(4))NHCPh(double bond]O)) reacts with R(3)Al to produce trimeric, twelve-membered ring aluminum compounds R(2)Almu, eta(2)-(p-Cl-C(6)H(4))NC(Ph)O]](3) (14, R = Me; 15, R = Et). Furthermore, the reaction of 2'-methoxybenzanilide with 1 molar equiv of Me(3)Al in hexane yields a dinuclear aluminum complex Me(2)Al(o-OMe-Ph)NC(Ph)(O)AlMe(3)], 16.