Potassium-zinc induced synergic enhancement of the basicity of hexamethyldisilazide (HMDS) towards methylbenzene molecules.
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.
Clegg
William
W
University Chemistry Laboratories, School of Natural Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK NE1 7RU.
Forbes
Glenn C
GC
Kennedy
Alan R
AR
Mulvey
Robert E
RE
Liddle
Stephen T
ST