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·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)3Li(THF)3] (2), [{MeAl(2-py)3}2Ca] (3), and [{MeAl(2-py)3}ZnCl] (4), respectively. [{nBuIn(2-py)3}Li·THF] (5), an InIII analogue of 1 containing the [nBuIn(2-py)3]- anion, is obtained by the one-pot reaction of nBuLi with InCl3 followed by reaction with 2-Li-py. Complex 5 reacts with [(C7H8)Mo(CO)3] to give [{nBuIn(2-py)3}Mo(CO)3Li(THF)2]∞ (6) (analogous to the AlIII complex 2). The X-ray structures of the new complexes 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are reported.