title: Synthesis of square-planar aluminum(III) complexes.
abstract: The synthesis of two four-coordinate and square planar (SP) complexes of aluminum(III) is presented. Reaction of a phenyl-substituted bis(imino)pyridine ligand that is reduced by two electrons, Na2((Ph)I2P(2-)), with AlCl3 afforded five-coordinate [((Ph)I2P(2-))Al(THF)Cl] (1). Square-planar [((Ph)I2P(2-))AlCl] (2) was obtained by performing the same reaction in diethyl ether followed by lyphilization of 2 from benzene. The four-coordinate geometry index for 2, τ4, is 0.22, where 0 would be a perfectly square-planar molecule. The analogous aluminum hydride complex, [((Ph)I2P(2-))AlH] (3), is also square-planar, and was characterized crystallographically and has τ4=0.13. Both 2 and 3 are Lewis acidic and bind 2,6-lutidine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of California, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616 (USA).
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Louise A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Berben
keywords: Lewis acids; N ligands; aluminum; redox-active ligands; square-planar geometry