Coordination Chemistry of N-(2-Pyridylethyl)-Substituted Bulky Amidinates and Triazenides of Magnesium

The amidines Dipp-N=C(R)-NH(C2H4R) [R = tBu, R = Ph (1a); R = Ph, R = Py (1b)] as well as 1-(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)-3-(2-pyridylethyl)triazene (1c) are magnesiated with commercially available dibutylmagnesium yielding the complexes [(thf)Mg{Dipp-N=C(tBu)-N(C2H4Ph)}(2)] (3a), [Mg{Dipp-N=C(Ph)-N(C2H4Py)}(2)] (3b), and [Mg{Tripp-N=N-N(C2H4Py)}(2)] (3c). Handling and isolation of triazene 1c has been performed at room temperature or below to avoid elimination of dinitrogen and formation of 2-pyridylethyl-(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)amine (2). In the solid state, the compounds 1b and 1c form dimers via intermolecular hydrogen bridges to the pyridyl groups of neighbouring molecules.