Syntheses and Structure of Heterometallic Complexes Containing Tripodal Group 13 Ligands [RE(2-py)₃]^-(E = Al, In)^†

Reactions of the Al(III) complex [{MeAl(2-py)(3)}Li center dot THF] (1), containing the tripodal [MeAl(2-py)(3)](-) ligand, with [(C7H8)Mo(CO)(3)], CaI2, and ZnCl2 give the trimetallic and bimetallic complexes [{MeAl(2-py)(3)}Mo(CO)(3)Li(THF)(3)] (2), [{MeAl(2-py)(3)}(2)Ca] (3), and [{MeAl(2-py)(3)}ZnCl] (4), respectively. [{(n)-BuIn(2-py)(3)}Li center dot THF] (5), an In-III analogue of 1 containing the [(BuIn)-Bu-n(2-py)(3)](-) anion, is obtained by the one-pot reaction of (BuLi)-Bu-n with InCl3 followed by reaction with 2-Li-py. Complex 5 reacts with [(C7H8)Mo(CO)(3)] to give [{(BuIn)-Bu-n(2-py)(3)}Mo(CO)(3)Li(THF)(2)](infinity) (6) (analogous to the Al-III complex 2). The X-ray structures of the new complexes 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are reported.