Syntheses and structures of [(Me3N)3SiNHLi]4, (C4H8O)Al[NHSi(NMe2)3]3, ((Me2N)3SiNH)3Al and Li(THF)2+[((Me2N)3SiNH)4Al]−

The preparation of lithium tris(dimethylamino)silylamide, [(Me3N)3SiNHLi]4, 2, and its reaction with aluminium trichloride to give tris(dimethylamino)silylamino)(tetrahydrofuran)alane, (C4H8O)Al[NHSi(NMe2)3]3, 3, and bis(tetrahydrofuran)lithium tetrakis(tris(dimethylamino)silylamino)alanate, Li(THF)2+[((Me2N)3SiNH)4Al]−, 6, is reported, together with the crystal structures of 2, 3 and 6. Tris(dimethylamino)alane, ((Me2N)3SiNH)3Al, was obtained by reaction of tris(dimethylamino)silylamine with aluminium triethyl. The ammonolytic gelation of 3 to an imidoaluminosilicate gel is also described.