Cyclopentadienylaluminum donor-acceptor complexes - Molecular and supramolecular structure

Lewis acid-base complexes of cyclopentadienylaluminum derivatives Me_xCp_3−x Al (x = 0-2) and trimethylaluminum with selected aromatic amines (L): dmap = 4-dimethylaminopyridine, py-Me = 4-methylpyridyne, were synthesized and characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ²⁷Al NMR: Cp₃Al · dmap (1), Cp₃Al · py-Me (2), MeCp₂Al · dmap (3), MeCp₂Al · py-Me (4), Me₂CpAl · dmap (5), Me₂CpAl · py-Me (6), Me₃Al · py-Me (7). ¹H NMR studies of 3-6 revealed small amounts of the ligand redistribution products. The crystal structures of 1, 2 and 3 were determined by single X-ray diffraction studies. The compounds 1, 2 and 3 are monomeric with Cp ligands bonded to the aluminum center in η¹(σ), η¹(π) manner. The change of Cp-Al bond character from η¹(π) to η¹(σ) was found to reasonable correlate with the aromaticity of Cp⁻ ligand described by HOMA index. Analysis of close intra- and intermolecular contacts showed presence of CH?π interactions leading to the formation of 2-D supramolecular networks. It was found that these interactions impact on the coordination sphere of aluminum and the conformation of Cp ring.