title: Potassium-zinc induced synergic enhancement of the basicity of hexamethyldisilazide (HMDS) towards methylbenzene molecules.
abstract: While neither KHMDS nor Zn(HMDS)2 can unilaterally metallate toluene under the conditions studied, the bilateral base 'KZn(HMDS)3' can smoothly do so to produce the benzyl product [[KZn(HMDS)2(CH2Ph)]infinity], which exists in the crystal as an infinite spiral chain of benzyl (ambi-sigma, pi)-linked (KNZnN) rings.
authors.affiliation: University Chemistry Laboratories, School of Natural Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK NE1 7RU.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Clegg
authors.forename: Glenn C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.forename: Alan R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Mulvey
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Liddle