Synthesis of a hexameric magnesium 4-pyridyl complex with cyclohexane-like ring structure via reductive C-N activation

Abstract

The reaction of [{(Arnacnac)Mg}2] (Arnacnac = HC{MeC(NAr)}2, Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, Dip, or 2,6-diethylphenyl, Dep) with 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) at elevated temperatures af-forded the hexameric magnesium 4-pyridyl complex [{(Arnacnac)Mg(4-C5H4N)}6] via reductive cleavage of the DMAP C-N bond. The title compound contains a large s-block organometallic cyclohexane-like ring structure comprised of tetrahedral (Arnacnac)Mg nodes and linked by linear 4-pyridyl bridging ligands, and the structure is compared to other ring systems. [(Dipnac-nac)Mg(DMAP)(NMe2)] was structurally characterised as a by-product.