Isolation and structural elucidation of a key aluminoaromatic intermediate and evidence for dismutation phenomena in TMP-alumination chemistry

Lithium TMP-aluminate (Bu3Al)-Bu-i(TMP)Li'' undergoes dismutation in THF solution to precipitate the tetraalkylaluminate [{Li center dot(THF)(4)}(+){Al(Bu-i)(4)}(-)], but reacts kinetically as a TMP base towards N,N-diisopropylbenzamide to afford the crystalline ortho-aluminated species [(THF)(3)center dot Li{O(=C)N(Pr-i)(2)(C6H4)}Al-( Bu-i)(3)] and TMPH.