Hydrides, Halides, and Polymers: Some Unexpected Intermediates on the Routes to First-Row Transition Metal M{N(SiMe3)2}n (n = 2, 3) Complexes.

The reaction of 2 equiv of LiN(SiMe3)2·Et2O with TiCl3(NMe3)2 or VCl3(NMe3)2 afforded the dimeric, halide bridged complexes [Ti(μ-Cl){N(SiMe3)2}2]2 (1) or [V(μ-Cl){N(SiMe3)2}2]2 (2) in moderate yields. The reduction of titanium complex 1 with 3 equiv of 5% (wt) Na/NaCl gave the mixed metal titanium/sodium hydride cluster Ti2(μ-H)2{N(SiMe3)2}3{N(SiMe3)(SiMe2CH)}(Na) (3), which was formed by activation of two C-H bonds at a single methyl group of one of the bis(trimethylsilyl)amide ligands. Attempts to form the analogous vanadium complex by reduction of 2 gave only intractable products. Treatment of Co{N(SiMe3)2}2 with 1 equiv of BrN(SiMe3)2 (which was previously shown to give the unique three-coordinate cobalt(III) trisamide Co{N(SiMe3)2}3) afforded the polymeric [(μ-Br)Co{μ-N(SiMe3)(SiMe2CH2CH2Me2Si)(Me3Si)μ-N}Co(μ-Br)]∞ (4) as a second product, which was shown by a structural analysis to possess a carbon-carbon bond formed between the two ligands. Attempts to isolate manganese and iron complexes analogous to 4 were unsuccessful. The role of bromine in these reactions was further studied by examining the reaction of 0.5 equiv of elemental bromine with [Mn{N(SiMe3)2}2]2 or [Co{N(SiMe3)2}2]2, which for manganese was shown to give the previously reported manganese trisamide Mn{N(SiMe3)2}3 but for cobalt gives the dimeric amide-bridged [Co(Br){μ-N(SiMe3)2}]2 (5).