Indyllithium and the Indyl Anion [InL]−: Heavy Analogues of N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes |
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| Authors: | Ryan J. Schwamm Dr. Mathew D. Anker Dr. Matthias Lein Dr. Martyn P. Coles Dr. Christopher M. Fitchett |
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| Affiliation: | 1. School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand;2. Department of Chemistry, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand |
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| Abstract: | Reduction of the indate complex In(NONAr)(μ‐Cl)2Li(OEt2)2 (NONAr=[O(SiMe2NAr)2]2?; Ar=2,6‐iPr2C6H3) with sodium generates the InII diindane species [In(NONAr)]2. Further reduction with a mixture of potassium and [2.2.2]crypt affords the InI N‐heterocyclic indyl anion [In(NONAr)]?, which crystallizes with a non‐contacted [K([2.2.2]crypt)]+ cation. The indyl anion can also be isolated as the indyllithium compound In(NONAr)(Li{THF}3), which contains an In?Li bond. Density functional theory calculations show that the HOMO of the indyl anion is a metal‐centred lone pair, and preliminary reactivity studies confirm its nucleophilic behaviour. |
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| Keywords: | diindanes indium indyl anions main-group chemistry N-heterocyclic carbenes |
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