Scandium alkyl, amido and imido chemistry incorporating new metallation-resistant 3,5-disubstituted N-aryl beta-diketiminato ligands

Novel beta-diketiminato ligands with 3,5-disubstituted N-aryl groups were designed to disfavour intramolecular metallation reactions commonly encountered in bis-hydrocarbyl scandium chemistry. These ligands were synthesized using a versatile condensation strategy. Their coordination chemistry was evaluated via the synthesis of bis-alkyl aluminum complexes.;Scandium amido species were synthesized from the bis-alkyl complexes. Thermal alkane elimination from these amides led to the synthesis of a scandium imide. This species could not be crystallographically characterized due to its high solubility properties. However, solution characterization and reactivity studies support a monomeric scandium imide.;A family of bis-alkyl scandium complexes supported by these 3,5-disubstituted N-aryl beta-diketiminato ligands were synthesized and characterized in both the solution and solid state. Scandium is coordinated within the N2C3 ligand plane, resulting in complexes with C2v symmetry. At elevated temperatures, these complexes do not undergo metallative reactions, but display unprecedented thermal stability above 100°C.