Group 3 dialkyl complexes of a rigid monoanionic NNN-donor pincer ligand: synthesis, structures, unexpected reactivity with CPh 3 + , and hydroamination catalysis

Palladium-catalyzed coupling of 4,5-dibromo-2,7,9,9-tetramethylacridan with two equivalents of 1,3-diisopropylimidazolin-2-imine afforded 4,5-bis(1,3-diisopropylimidazolin-2-imino)-2,7,9,9-tetramethylacridan, H[AII₂]. Reaction of the H[AII₂] pro-ligand with one equivalent of [M(CH₂SiMe₃)₃(THF)₂] (M = Y or Sc) yielded the base-free neutral dialkyl complexes [(AII₂)M(CH₂SiMe₃)₂] {M = Y (1) and Sc (2)}. The rigid AII₂ pincer ligand affords a …