Synthesis of a stable adduct of dialane(4) (Al2H4) via hydrogenation of a magnesium(I) dimer.
The desorption of dihydrogen from magnesium(II) hydride, MgH2 (containing 7.6 wt% H), is reversible. MgH2 therefore holds promise as a hydrogen storage material in devices powered by fuel cells. We believed that dimeric magnesium(I) dimers (LMgMgL, L=β-diketiminate) could find use as soluble models to aid the study of the mechanisms and/or kinetics of the hydrogenation of magnesium and its alloys. Here, we show that LMgMgL can be readily hydrogenated to yield LMg(µ-H)2MgL by treatment with aluminium(III) hydride complexes. In one case, hydrogenation was reversed by treating LMg(µ-H)2MgL with potassium metal. The hydrogenation by-products are the first thermally stable, neutral aluminium(II) hydride complexes to be produced, one of which, [{(IPr)(H)2Al}2] (IPr=:C[{(C6H3-i-Pr(2)-2,6)NCH}2]), is an N-heterocyclic carbene adduct of the elusive parent dialane4 (Al2H4). A computational analysis of this compound is presented.
Bonyhady
Simon J
SJ
School of Chemistry, Monash University, Melbourne, PO Box 23, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
Collis
David
D
Frenking
Gernot
G
Holzmann
Nicole
N
Jones
Cameron
C
Stasch
Andreas
A
D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D019281:Dimerization; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry*
D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D006859:Hydrogen; D008274:Magnesium