Synthesis, characterisation, and dehydrocoupling ability of zirconium complexes bearing hindered bis(amido)silyl ligands

Abstract

Herein we detail the synthesis and characterisation of a series of zirconium compounds featuring the bis(amido)silyl ligand [ⁱPr₂Si(NDipp)₂]²⁻ (Dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl). The functionalisation of bis(amido)silyl zirconium halide complexes with a variety of nucleophiles, such as LiNMe₂, LiBH₄ and MeLi, was explored and the resulting products showed a propensity to form anionic zirconate salts when the syntheses were carried out in THF. One of the zirconate products, [ⁱPr₂Si(NDipp)₂]Zr(NMe₂)₂·ClLi(THF)₃, has the ability to catalyse the dehydrocoupling of primary and secondary amine-boranes at room temperature in aromatic solvents.