Synthesis of enantiomeric pure lithium and potassium benzamidinate complexes

A new synthesis leading to the chiral amidines (S,S)- and (R,R)-N,N-bis-(1-phenylethyl)benzamidine ((S)- and (R)-HPEBA) in good yields is presented. Further reaction of (S)-HPEBA with n-BuLi gave the chiral lithium salt (S)-LiPEBA. Treatment of KH with (S)-HPEBA in boiling THF afforded the corresponding potassium salt (S)-KPEBA. In contrast by performing the reaction in boiling toluene a fast racemization was observed. In the solid state racemic KPEBA formed a dimer, in which all four nitrogen atoms are in a plane. To each potassium atom a toluene molecule is η⁶-coordinated.