1,3-Bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)triazenides of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and strontium

Metalation of 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) triazene (1) with KH, Mg(nBu)(2), and [(L)(2)Ae{N(SiMe3)(2)}(2)] (Ae/L = Ca/thf, Sr/dme) yields the dinuclear complexes [(thf)(2)K{mu-N-3(Mes)(2)}](2) (2a) and [(dme) K{mu-N-3(Mes)(2)}](2) (2b) as well as mononuclear [(thf)(2)Mg{N-3(Mes)(2)}(2)] (3a), [(tmeda) Mg(nBu){N-3(Mes)(2)}] (3b), [(thf)(2)Ca-{N-3(Mes)(2)}(2)] (4), and [(tmeda) Sr{N-3(Mes)(2)}(2)] (5), respectively, with high yields depending on applied stoichiometry and donor solvent [tetrahydrofuran (THF), 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,2-bis(dimethylamino)ethane (TMEDA)]. The 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) triazene (1) forms a strand-like structure in the solid state, stabilized by N-H center dot center dot center dot N hydrogen bridges and intermolecular pi-stacking of the mesityl groups. The 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) triazenide anions of the s-block metal complexes show charge delocalization within the triazaallylic systems and act as bidentate chelate ligands.