A Stable Neutral Compound with an Aluminum-Aluminum Double Bond

J Am Chem Soc. 2017 Oct 18;139(41):14384-14387. doi: 10.1021/jacs.7b08890. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Abstract

Homodinuclear multiple-bonded neutral Al compounds, aluminum analogues of alkenes, have been a notoriously difficult synthetic target over the past several decades. Herein, we report the isolation of a stable neutral compound featuring an Al═Al double bond stabilized by N-heterocyclic carbenes. X-ray crystallographic and spectroscopic analyses demonstrate that the dialuminum entity possesses trans-planar geometry and an Al-Al bond length of 2.3943(16) Å, which is the shortest distance reported for a molecular dialuminum species. This new species reacts with ethylene and phenyl acetylene to give the [2+2] cycloaddition products. The structure and bonding were also investigated by detailed density functional theory calculations. These results clearly demonstrate the presence of an Al═Al double bond in this molecule.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't