Aluminum Amidinate and Carboxylate Formation via Insertion of E═C═E Bonds

Selective insertion of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide or dicyclohexylcarbodiimide into the Al–Cp* bond of a 1,4-dialuminacyclohexadine derivative results in unusual amidinate ligands with a 1,2,3,4,5-pentamethyl cyclopentadiene backbone while retaining the central Al2C4 functionality. An analogous reaction with carbon dioxide gives a molecular metal carboxylate, the formation of which is supported by 1H NMR and IR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry.