Activation of dihydrogen by masked dialumenes (Al=Al doubly bonded species) is reported. Reactions of barrelene-type dialumanes, which have the reactivity as masked equivalents of 1,2-diaryldialumenes ArAl=AlAr, with H2 afforded dihydroalumanes ArAlH2 at room temperature (Ar: bulky aryl groups). These dihydroalumanes form hydrogen-bridged dimers [ArHAl(μ-H)]2 in the crystalline state, while a monomer-dimer equilibrium was suggested in solution. The 1,2-diaryldialumenes generated from the barrelene-type dialumanes are the putative active species in the cleavage of H2 .
Keywords: aluminum; aluminum hydride; dialumene; hydrogen; hydrogen activation.
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