Synthesis and structure of an ionic beryllium-“carbene” complex

Abstract The Lewis-acidic metal ion Be 2+ forms stable adducts with the carbene 1,3-dimethylimidazolin-2-ylidene (L). The pronounced nucleophilicity of the ligand is encountered in the cleavage of the polymeric structure of BeCl 2 with consecutive heterolysis to yield the ionic coordination compound [L 3 BeCl] + Cl − .