C(sp₃)-H bond activation with triel metals: indium and gallium zwitterions through internal hydride abstraction in rigid salan ligands.

International audienceThe hydropyrimidine salan (salan=N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis[(2-hydroxyphenyl)methylene]-1,2-diaminoethane) proteo-ligands with a rigid backbone {ON^(CH2)^NO}H2 react with M(CH2SiMe3)3 (M=Ga, In) to yield the zwitterions {ON^(CH(+))^NO}M(-)(CH2SiMe3)2 (M=Ga, 2; In, 3) by abstraction of a hydride from the ligand backbone followed by elimination of dihydrogen. By contrast, with Al2Me6, the neutral-at-metal bimetallic complex [{ON^(CH2)^NO}AlMe]2 ([1]2) is obtained quantitatively. The formation of indium zwitterions is also observed with sterically more encumbered ligands containing o-Me substituents on the phenolic rings, or an N (CHPh) N moiety in the heterocyclic core. Overall, the ease of C(sp3)-H bond activation follows the order Al≪Ga