Spontaneous Double Hydrometallation Induced by N→M Coordination in Organometallic Hydrides of Group 14 Elements

Our attempts to synthesise N→M intramolecularly coordinated diorganometallic hydrides L₂MH₂ [M=Si ( 4 ), Ge ( 5 ), Sn ( 6 )] containing the CH=N imine group (in which L is C,N‐chelating ligand {2‐[(2,6‐iPr₂C₆H₃)N=CH]C₆H₄}^?) yielded 1,1′‐bis(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)‐2,2′‐spriobi[benzo[c][1,2]azasilole] ( 7 ), 1,1′‐bis(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)‐2,2′‐spriobi[benzo[c][1,2]azagermole] ( 8 ) and C,N‐chelated homoleptic stannylene L₂Sn ( 10 ), respectively. Compounds 7 and 8 are an outcome of a spontaneous double hydrometallation of the two CH=N imine moieties induced by N→M intramolecular coordination (M=Si, Ge) in the absence of any catalyst. In contrast, the diorganotin hydride L₂SnH₂ ( 6 ) is redox‐unstable and the reduction of the tin centre with the elimination of H₂ provided the C,N‐chelated homoleptic stannylene L₂Sn ( 10 ). Compounds 7 and 8 were characterised by NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis. Because the proposed N→M intramolecularly coordinated diorganometallic hydrides L₂MH₂ [M=Si ( 4 ), Ge ( 5 ), Sn ( 6 )] revealed two different types of reduction reactions, DFT calculations were performed to gain an insight into the structures and bonding of the non‐isolable diorganometallic hydrides as well as the products of their subsequent reactions. Furthermore, the thermodynamic profiles of the different reaction pathways with respect to the central metal atom were also investigated.