Coordination Properties of Sterically Stressed Zincporphyrins

Spectrophotometric titration and computer simulation were used to study how the nature of porphyrin and extra ligand affect the formation of extra complexes of zincporphyrins in o-xylene. The compounds under study were zincporphyrins (ZnP) with different substituents and phenyl radicals in meso-positions (zinc-5,15-(p-butyloxyphenyl)-2,8,12,18-tetramethyl-3,7,13,17-tetraethylporphyrin (ZnP¹), zinc-5,15-(p-butyloxyphenyl)-2,8,12,18-tetramethyl-3,7,13,17-tetrabutylporphyrin (ZnP²), zinctetraphenylporphine (ZnP³), and zinc complexes with overlapped porphyrin (ZnP⁴). N-Methylimidazole, imidazole, pyridine, 3,5-dimethylpyrazole, and dimethylformamide were used as extra ligands (L). The strength of Zn–L bonding was found to decrease in extra complexes (L)ZnP in the series of ZnP as follows: ZnP⁴> ZnP¹> ZnP²> ZnP³. It was established that the stability constant (logK _st) for sterically nonstressed complexes (L)ZnP⁴linearly increases with growth in the extra ligand basicity (log ) and is proportional to the shift of the main absorption bands () in the electronic spectra of extra complexes of zinctetraphenylporphine. For spatially distorted (L)ZnP¹, (L)ZnP², and (L)ZnP³, the values of logK _stand log , as well as logK _stand , change symbatically. The geometric structure and energy characteristics of pentacoordinated zincporphyrins were calculated by quantum-chemical methods. Correlations were established between the calculated values of the energy of the interaction of the central metal atom with the extra ligand molecule and the stability of the extra complexes of zincporphyrins.     

Coordination Properties of Ga, In, and Tl Tetraphenylporphine Complexes in Reactions with Nitrogen-containing Extra Ligands

The formation of Ga^{3 +}, In^{3 +}, and Tl^{3 +} tetraphenylporphine mixed-ligand complexes (X)MTPP + L = (X)M(L)TPP (X = Cl^-, AcO^-, acac^-; L = N-methylimidazole, imidazole, pyridine, 3,5-dimethylpyrazole, dimethylformamide) in chloroform was studied by spectrophotometric titration and quantum-chemical calculations. The stability of the Ga, In, and Tl porphyrin extra complexes was found to depend on the nature of the acido and nitrogen-containing ligands. The geometric and energetic characteristics of the complexes of six-coordinate gallium and indium porphyrins were calculated. Correlations between calculated and experimental energies of formation and Gibbs energies were found. The cis- and trans-effects of ligands in the extra complexes of metal porphyrins were explained.     

Effect of steric strains in the macroring on the structure and properties of molecular complexes of (chloro)[5,15-(p-butoxyphenyl)-2,8,12,17-tetramethyl-3,7,13,17-tetrabutylporphinato]aluminum

The chelate (Cl)AlP was prepared by complexation of porphine (P) with aluminum(III) chloride in refluxing pyridine. Equilibrium coordination of nitrogen-containing ligands (L = 2-methylimidazole, imidazole, pyridine, 3,5-dimethylpyrazole, dimethylformamide) with (Cl)AlP in benzene was studied by spectrophotometric titration and computer simulation. Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the reaction were obtained. The structure of the mixed-ligand complex formed by intermolecular interaction of the metal porphyrin with a base was determined spectrophotometrically and by quantum-chemical calculations. An effect of additional molecular ligand and of steric strain in the macroring on the stability of the complex was noted. The stability constant (K _s) increases with an increase in the basicity (K _BH ⁺) of the extra ligand and is proportional to the shift of the main bands (?λ) in the electronic absorption spectra. The geometric and energy characteristics of hexacoordinated aluminum porphyrin were calculated by the PM3 method. Correlations were found between the calculated energy of the interaction of the aluminum atom with the base molecule (E _b) and stability of the mixed-ligand complexes (Cl)Al(L)P. The cis and trans effects in the complexes (Cl)Al(L)P were analyzed. The dependence of the strength of the Al-L bond on the nature of the porphyrin and the basicity of the additional molecular ligand was determined from the experimental data and calculation results.     

Interaction of Silver(II) and Gold(III) meso-Tetraphenylporphine Complexes with Concentrated Sulfuric Acid

The reaction of meso-tetraphenylporphine (H₂TPP) with Ag(OAc) or KAuCl₄in boiling acetic acid affords Ag^IITPP and (Cl)Au^IIITPP complexes. The complexes are purified by column chromatography and identified by thin layer chromatography and IR and electronic absorption spectroscopy. The transfer of a proton to the porphyrin macrocycle and dissociation of the complexes via the metal–nitrogen bonds in concentrated H₂SO₄at different temperatures and H₂SO₄concentrations are studied by spectrophotometric and kinetic methods. The formation of the stable ion-molecular H-associate of the metalloporphyrin with a doubly-charged metal cation is found for the first time for silver(II) tetraphenylporphine. Gold(III) tetraphenylporphine exists in a sulfuric acid solution in the monomolecular form. The numeric values of true rates and activation parameters of the complex dissociation are determined. The stability, state in solution, and mechanism of dissociation of the silver(II) and gold(III) tetraphenylporphine complexes are determined by the metal electronic configuration of the complex cation and, especially, by the contribution of the component to the donor–acceptor M–N interaction.     

Extraction of silver from water into nitrobenzene using sodium dicarbollylcobaltate in the presence of valinomycin

Summary From extraction experiments andg-activity measurements, the extraction constant corresponding to the Ag⁺(aq) + NaL⁺(nb)?AgL⁺(nb) + Na⁺(aq) equilibrium in the two-phase water-nitrobenzene system (L=valinomycin; aq=aqueous phase, nb=nitrobenzene phase) was evaluated as log K_ex(Ag⁺,NaL⁺)=-0.6±0.1. The stability constant of the valinomycin-silver complex in nitrobenzene saturated with water was calculated: log b_nb(AgL⁺)=4.6±0.1. The stability constants of complexes of some univalent cations with valinomycin were summarized and discussed.     

Specific retention behaviour of metal (III) tetraphenylporphyrins in non-aqueous,reversed high-performance liquid chromatography

Summary The Co(II), Ni(II), Fe(III) and V(IV) complexes of tetraphenylporphine (TPP) can be eluted at short retention times from a LiChrosorb RP-18 column with pure ethanol. However, both Mn(III) and Co(III) complexes of metal TPP chloride type are so strongly retained on the column that they cannot be eluted. While the retention of other metal teraphenylporphine complexes was not affected, that of the metal(III) complexes of the TPP chloride type especially MnTPPCl and CoTPPCl, decreases dramatically with an increase in the concentration of NH₄Cl added into the mobile phase; a linear relationship between logk' and log[NH₄Cl], with the slope of about–1, has been observed for these two metal(III) complexes in the NH₄Cl concentration range from 2.5×10^–4 to 1.3×10^–2 mol/l. Thus, the specific control of the retention of the metal(III) complexes is enabled by conditioning the NH₄Cl content of the mobile phase, and the chromatographic separation is demonstrated.     

The Association Constants of H<Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">+</Emphasis></Superscript> and Ca<Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">2 +</Emphasis></Superscript> with 2-Keto-D-Gluconate in Aqueous Solutions

2-Keto-D-gluconate (kG) is naturally produced in soils, sediments and rock faces through the microbial oxidation of glucose. Studies have qualitatively shown kG to enhance the dissolution of soil minerals. However, quantitative information, such as the log K values for the formation of metal–kG complexes, are not available. This paper presents the results of potentiometric titration studies that employ H⁺ and Ca²⁺ ion selective electrodes (ISEs) to determine the conditional ion association constants (log Q values) for the protonation and deprotonation of kG and the formation of Ca–kG complexes. The experimentally-determined log Q values were then converted to the corresponding ion association constants (the zero ionic strength condition; log K values) by employing a modified Davies equation for charged species and the Setchenów equation for neutral species. The log K values were determined by potentiometric titrations at constant kG concentration, varied ionic strengths, 25 or 22 ^∘C, and in the absence of CO₂. The computer model GEOCHEM-PC was used to determine the aqueous speciation of ions other than kG and the computer model FITEQL was used to estimate conditional log Q values for reactions in the various chemical models. Based on our evaluations, equilibrium constants for the following reactions were determined: H⁺+ kG^– ⇌ HkG⁰, log K_a1 = (3.00 ± 0.06), kG^–⇌ H_–1kG^2–+ H⁺, log K_a–1 = –(11.97 ± 0.41), and Ca²⁺+ kG^–⇌ CakG⁺, log K₁₀₁ = (1.74 ± 0.04).     

Base Equilibria of Substituted Pyridines in Nitromethane

In the framework of our studies on acid=nbase equilibria in systems comprisingsubstituted pyridines and nonaqueous solvents, acid dissociation constants havebeen determined potentiometrically for a variety of cationic acids conjugatedwith pyridine and its derivatives in the polar protophobic aprotic solvent nitromethane. The potentiometric method enabled a check as to whether and to whatextent cationic homoconjugation equilibria of the BH⁺/B type, as well as cationicheteroconjugation equilibria in BH⁺/B₁ systems without proton transfer, are setup in nitromethane. The equilibrium constants were compared with thosedetermined in water and two other polar protophobic aprotic solvents, propylenecarbonate and acetonitrile. The pK _a values of acids conjugate to the N-bases innitromethane fall in the pK _a range of 5.84 to 17.67, i.e., 6 to 7 pK _a units, onaverage, higher than in water, 1 to 2 units higher than in propylene carbonate,and less than 1 unit lower than in acetonitrile. This means that the basicity ofthe pyridine derivatives increases on going from propylene carbonate throughnitromethane to acetonitrile. Further, it was found that the sequence of the pK _achanges of the protonated amines was consistent in all three media, thus providingthe basis for establishing linear correlations among these values. In the majorityof the BH⁺/B systems in nitromethane, cationic homoconjugation equilibria havebeen established. The cationic homoconjugation constants, log K _BHB+, arerelatively low, falling in the range 1.60–2.89. A comparison of the homoconjugationconstants in nitromethane with those in propylene carbonate and acetonitrile showsthat nitromethane is a more favorable solvent for the cationic homoconjugationequilibria than the other two solvents. Moreover, results of the potentiometricmeasurements revealed that cationic heteroconjugation equilibria were not presentin the majority of the BH⁺/B₁ systems in nitromethane. The heteroconjugationconstant could be determined in one system only, with logdiK _BHB1 + = 2.56.     

Affinity capillary electrophoretic study of K+/Na+ selectivity of hexaarylbenzene-based polyaromatic receptor

Affinity capillary electrophoretic (ACE) study has proved the selectivity of hexaarylbenzene-based polyaromatic receptor (R) for K⁺ ion over Na⁺ ion. The apparent binding constants of the R complexes with K⁺ and Na⁺ ions were determined from the dependence of effective electrophoretic mobility of R on the concentration of the above alkali metal ions in the background electrolyte using a non-linear regression analysis. The apparent binding constants (K_b) of the K-R⁺ and Na–R⁺ complexes in methanolic medium were evaluated as log K_b = 3.20 ± 0.22 for the K–R⁺ complex, and log K_b??0.7 for the Na–R⁺ complex.     

A potentiometric study on complex formation of cadmium(II) ion with 2-mercaptoacetic and 2-mercaptopropionic acids

Complex equilibria between cadmium ions and 2-mercaptoacetic acid (H₂maa) or 2-mercaptopropionic acid (H₂mpa) have been studied in aqueous solutions containing 3 mol dm^?3 LiClO₄ as a constant ionic medium at 25°C by potentiometric titration. Formation constants of mono-η and bis-2-mercaptoalkanoato)cadmium complexes were found to ge log K₁₁ = 4.34 and log K₁₂ = 2.15 for the cadmium-H₂maa complexes, and log K₁₁ = 5.66 and log K₁₂ = 2.85 for the cadmium-H₂mpa complexes, respectively. The protonated complexes, CdHmaa⁺ and CdHmpa⁺, and a mixed ligand complex, Cd(maa)(mpa)²- were also detected.     

Complex formation of 1,4,7,10-tetraoxacyclododecane with alkali metal ions studied by 13C spectroscopy

Complex formation of 1,4,7,10-tetraoxacyclododecane (12-crown-4) with lithium, sodium and potassium salts in methanol solution was investigated. The strong influence of complexing on the chemical shift of the single ¹³C NMR line permitted titration of the ligand with alkali metal salts. Concentration stability constants of the complexes were obtained by a computerized iterative least squares method. Na⁺ and K⁺ form both 1: 1 and 1: 2 complexes, log K₁ = 2.1 and log K₂ = 3.8, log K₁ = 1.7 and log K₂ = 2.4 respectively. Li⁺ is complexed weakly. Assuming 1: 1 stoichiometry the complex stability constant is estimated to be < 1.     

Spectroscopic study of the complexation of an aza-15-crown-5 containing chromofluoroionophore with Ba2+ and Ca2+ cations

The complexation of 1-[(4-benzothiazolyl)phenyl]-4,7,10,13-tetraoxa-1-aza-cyclopenta-decane with Ba²⁺ and Ca²⁺ cations was investigated spectrophotometrically and spectrofluorometrically. The stability constants of the complexes formed are: for Ba²⁺ logK _st=3.17±0.01 (absorption) and logK _st=2.95±0.03 (fluorescence); for Ca²⁺ logK _st=3.71±0.02 (absorption) and logK _st=3.58±0.05 (fluorescence). Protonation of the ligand leads to fluorescence quenching. AM1 and PPP quantum chemical calculations were used to predict molecular geometry, proton affinities and the spectra of the compounds studied.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Drexhage on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Fine‐Tuning of Lewis Acidity: The Case of Borenium Hydride Complexes Derived from Bis(phosphinimino)amide Boron Precursors

Reactions of bis(phosphinimino)amines LH and L′H with Me₂S ? BH₂Cl afforded chloroborane complexes LBHCl ( 1 ) and L′BHCl ( 2 ), and the reaction of L′H with BH₃ ? Me₂S gave a dihydridoborane complex L′BH₂ ( 3 ) (LH=[{(2,4,6‐Me₃C₆H₂N)P(Ph₂)}₂N]H and L′H=[{(2,6‐iPr₂C₆H₃N)P(Ph₂)}₂N]H). Furthermore, abstraction of a hydride ion from L′BH₂ ( 3 ) and LBH₂ ( 4 ) mediated by Lewis acid B(C₆F₅)₃ or the weakly coordinating ion pair [Ph₃C][B(C₆F₅)₄] smoothly yielded a series of borenium hydride cations: [L′BH]⁺[HB(C₆F₅)₃]^? ( 5 ), [L′BH]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]^? ( 6 ), [LBH]⁺[HB(C₆F₅)₃]^? ( 7 ), and [LBH]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]^? ( 8 ). Synthesis of a chloroborenium species [LBCl]⁺[BCl₄]^? ( 9 ) without involvement of a weakly coordinating anion was also demonstrated from a reaction of LBH₂ ( 4 ) with three equivalents of BCl₃. It is clear from this study that the sterically bulky strong donor bis(phosphinimino)amide ligand plays a crucial role in facilitating the synthesis and stabilization of these three‐coordinated cationic species of boron. Therefore, the present synthetic approach is not dependent on the requirement of weakly coordinating anions; even simple BCl₄^? can act as a counteranion with borenium cations. The high Lewis acidity of the boron atom in complex 8 enables the formation of an adduct with 4‐dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), [LBH ? (DMAP)]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]^? ( 10 ). The solid‐state structures of complexes 1 , 5 , and 9 were investigated by means of single‐crystal X‐ray structural analysis.     

Comparison study of ε-caprolactone,L-lactide,and ε-decalactone polymerizations using aluminum complexes bearing pyrazole derivatives,and synthesis of polylactide-gradual-poly-ε-caprolactone copolymer

This study compared ε-caprolactone (CL), L-lactide (LA), and ε-decalactone (DL) polymerizations, where aluminum complexes bridged by two pyrazole ligands was used as catalysts. The reactivites of these Al complexes between CL, LA, and DL polymerization were different that L ^Bu ₂ Al ₂ Me ₄ , with the distort boat form, exhibits the greatest catalytic activity for LA and DL polymerization at 60°C but the lowest catalytic activity for CL polymerization at room temperature. This may be because dinuclear L ^Bu ₂ Al ₂ Me ₄ cannot react with BnOH to form aluminum benzyl oxide at room temperature, making it unable to reduce catalytic activity. Because these aluminum complexes had different reactivities for LA and CL polymerizations, the selectivity of polylactide-gradual-poly-ε-caprolactones (PLA(10–80%)-gradual-PCL(59–79%)) (PLA-g-PCLs) was observed.     

Hydroxyoxo(5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphinato)tungsten(V) as a receptor for foodstuff and drug components. Thermodynamics of supramolecular complexation

The thermodynamics of stepwise reactions of hydroxyoxo(5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphinato)tungsten(V) (O=W(OH)TPP) with biologically active base molecules was studied. For the reaction of O=W(OH)TPP with benzimidazole, four steps were found and studied; the equilibrium constants K _n were determined to be 2.55 × 10⁴, 1.87 × 10³ L/mol, 1.06 × 10⁶, 4.09 × 10⁴ L²/mol². The reaction of O=W(OH)TPP with pyrazine was a one-step reversible process of Pyz coordination to the eighth coordination site (K = 399 L/mol). The correlation equations relating the stability of supramolecular complexes to pK of the bases were obtained. The thermodynamic data were used to demonstrate the prospects of applying the metal porphyrin as a receptor for N-bases in membranes, sensors, and analytical devices for quality control of foodstuffs, drugs, and gas mixtures for the content of VOCs.     

New anthracene based Schiff base ligands appended Cu(II) complexes: Theoretical study,DNA binding and cleavage activities

New anthracene based Schiff base ligands L ¹ and H( L ² ), their Cu(II) complexes [Cu( L ¹ )Cl₂] ( 1 ) and [Cu( L ² )Cl] ( 2 ) , (where L ¹  = N¹,N²‐bis(anthracene‐9‐methylene)benzene‐1,2‐diamine, L ²  = (2Z,4E)‐4‐(2‐(anthracen‐9‐ylmethyleneamino)phenylimino)pent‐2‐en‐2‐ol) have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, NMR, FAB‐mass, EPR, FT‐IR, UV–Vis and cyclic voltammetry. The electronic structures and geometrical parameters of complexes 1 and 2 were analyzed by the theoretical B3LYP/DFT method. The interaction of these complexes 1 and 2 with CT‐DNA has been explored by using absorption, cyclic voltammetric and CD spectral studies. From the electronic absorption spectral studies, it was found that the DNA binding constants of complexes 1 and 2 are 8.7 × 10³ and 7.0 × 10⁴ M^?1, respectively. From electrochemical studies, the ratio of DNA binding constants K₊/K₂₊ for 2 has been estimated to be >1. The high binding constant values, K₊/K₂₊ ratios more than unity and positive shift of voltammetric E_1/2 value on titration with DNA for complex 2 suggest that they bind more avidly with DNA than complex 1 . The inability to affect the conformational changes of DNA in the CD spectrum is the definite evidences of electrostatic binding by the complex 1 . It can be assumed that it is the bulky anthracene unit which sterically inhibits these complexes 1 and 2 from intercalation and thereby remains in the groove or electrostatic. The complex 2 hardly cleaves supercoiled pUC18 plasmid DNA in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The results suggest that complex 2 bind to DNA through minor groove binding.     

Protonation acidity constants for benzotoluidides in sulfuric acid solutions

The protonation of o-, m-and p-benzotoluidide in sulfuric acid solutions is studied by UV spectroscopy in the 190–350 nm region. Principal component analysis is applied to estimate the contributions of the effect of protonation and the medium effect. For the substances studied in this work, the first principal component (PC) captures about 98 % of the variance and the second PC ∼100 % of the cumulative percentage variance in the 210–350 nm region. The same spectral region is used for calculation of the ionization ratio from the coefficients of the first PC and mole fractions of the base and its conjugate acid. Using these data and Hammett's equation (pK _{BH +} = H _X + log I), the pK _{BH +} values for the protonation reaction are obtained. The dissociation constants as well as the solvent parameters m* (∼0.43) and ϕ (∼0.60) are calculated using the Excess Acidity Method (-pK _{BH +}= 2.28–2.30) and the Bunnett-Olsen Method (-pK _{BH +}= 2.24–2.28). The probable sites of protonation are discussed.     

Potentiometric Titrations and Nickel(II) Complexes of Four Topologically Constrained Tetraazamacrocycles

Abstract

The novel high spin Ni²⁺ complexes of the topologically constrained tetraazamacrocycles (1–4) [4,11-dimethyl-1,4,8,11 - tetraazabicyclo[6.6.2]hexadecane (1); 4,10-dimethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazabicyclo[6.5.2]pentadecane (2); 4,10-dimethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazabicyclo[5.5.2]tetradecane (3); racemic-4,5,7,7,11,12,14,14-octamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclo[6.6.2]hexadecane (4)] show striking properties. Potentiometric titrations of the ligands 2 and 4 revealed them to be proton sponges, as reported earlier for 1 [1]. Ligand 3 is less basic, losing its last proton with a pK = 11.3(2). Despite high proton affinities, complexation reactions in the absence of protons successfully yielded Ni²⁺ complexes in all cases. The X-ray crystal structures of Ni(1)(acac)⁺, Ni(3)(acac)⁺ and Ni(1)(OH₂)₂ ²⁺ demonstrate that the ligands enforce a distorted octahedral geometry on Ni²⁺ with two cis sites occupied by other ligands. Magnetic measurements and electronic spectroscopy on the corresponding Ni(L)Cl₂ (L = 1–3) complexes reveal that all are high spin and six-coordinate with typical magnetic moments. In contrast, [Ni(4)Cl⁺] is five-coordinate with a slightly higher magnetic moment and its own characteristic electronic spectrum. The extra methyl groups on ligand 4 define a shallow cavity, sterically allowing only one chloride ligand to bind to the nickel(II) ion.     

Solvent Effect on Deprotonation Equilibria of Acids of Various Charge Types in Non-aqueous Isodielectric Mixtures of Protic Ethylene Glycol and Dipolar Aprotic N,N-Dimethylformamide at 298.15 K

Deprotonation constants of phthalic (H₂A) and biphthalic (HA⁻) acids and of mono-protonated (BH⁺) and di-protonated (BH₂²⁺) piperazine acids have been determined at 25 °C by measuring the Emf of galvanic cells comprising H⁺-sensitive glass GE(H⁺) and Ag,AgCl electrodes in non-aqueous isodielectric mixtures of protic ethylene glycol (EG) and dipolar aprotic N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Solvent effects on deprotonation of the acids: ∂(ΔG _diss^o)=2.303RT[p(_s K _a)−p(_R K _a)], have been dissected into transfer Gibbs energies, ΔG _t^o _, of the species involved by evaluating ΔG _t^o of the uncharged phthalic acid and base piperazine (B) from the measured solubilities of the acid and base, respectively, and using ΔG _t^o of H⁺ based on the TATB reference electrolyte assumptions, as evaluated earlier. The contributions of the different species involved in the protolytic equilibria i.e., H⁺,H₂A,HA⁻,BH₂²⁺ and BH⁺ and their respective conjugate bases HA⁻,A²⁻,BH⁺ and B have been discussed in terms of their solvation behavior as guided by the ‘acid-base’, dispersion, structural and electronic characteristics of the acid-base species and of the co-solvent molecules and binary mixtures, ignoring the Born-type electrostatic interactions on the ionic species as the solvent system is quasi isodielectric.     

Boosting Low-Valent Aluminum(I) Reactivity with a Potassium Reagent

The reagent RK [R=CH(SiMe₃)₂ or N(SiMe₃)₂] was expected to react with the low-valent (^DIPPBDI)Al (^DIPPBDI=HC[C(Me)N(DIPP)]₂, DIPP=2,6-iPr-phenyl) to give [(^DIPPBDI)AlR]⁻K⁺. However, deprotonation of the Me group in the ligand backbone was observed and [H₂C=C(N-DIPP)−C(H)=C(Me)−N−DIPP]Al⁻K⁺ ( 1 ) crystallized as a bright-yellow product (73 %). Like most anionic Al^I complexes, 1 forms a dimer in which formally negatively charged Al centers are bridged by K⁺ ions, showing strong K⁺⋅⋅⋅DIPP interactions. The rather short Al–K bonds [3.499(1)–3.588(1) Å] indicate tight bonding of the dimer. According to DOSY NMR analysis, 1 is dimeric in C₆H₆ and monomeric in THF, but slowly reacts with both solvents. In reaction with C₆H₆, two C−H bond activations are observed and a product with a para-phenylene moiety was exclusively isolated. DFT calculations confirm that the Al center in 1 is more reactive than that in (^DIPPBDI)Al. Calculations show that both Al^I and K⁺ work in concert and determines the reactivity of 1 .