title: Exposing elusive cationic magnesium-chloro aggregates in aluminate complexes through donor control.
abstract: The cationic magnesium moiety of magnesium organohaloaluminate complexes, relevant to rechargeable Mg battery electrolytes, typically takes the thermodynamically favourable dinuclear [Mg2Cl3](+) form in the solid-state. We now report that judicious choice of Lewis donor allows the deliberate synthesis and isolation of the hitherto only postulated mononuclear [MgCl](+) and trinuclear [Mg3Cl5](+) modifications, forming a comparable series with a common aluminate anion [(Dipp)(Me3Si)NAlCl3](-). By pre-forming the Al-N bond prior to introduction of the Mg source, a consistently reproducible protocol is reported. Usage of the green solvent 2-methyltetrahydrofuran in place of THF in the context of Mg/Al battery electrolyte type complexes is also promoted.
authors.affiliation: WestCHEM, Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XL, UK. stuart.d.robertson@strath.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Etienne V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Brouillet
authors.forename: Alan R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koszinowski
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McLellan
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Mulvey
authors.forename: Stuart D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Robertson