Synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of heteroleptic zinc amidinate complexes

The synthesis of heteroleptic zinc amidinate complexes is reported. Reactions of LZnI [L=t-BuC(NDipp)2; Dipp=2,6-i-Pr2-C6H3] with diisopropylcarbodiimide (i-PrN)2C yielded the Lewis acid-base adduct LZn(I)-N(i-Pr)CN(i-Pr) 1. In addition, the synthesis of LZnN(SiMe3)22 and its reaction with (i-PrN)2C, which occurred with formation of the heteroleptic amidinate-guanidinate complex LZnL′ 3 [L′=(Me3Si)2NC(Ni-Pr)2], is reported. Compounds 1–3 were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (1H, 13C) and infrared spectro\xadscopy, elemental analysis, and single crystal X-ray diffraction (1 and 2), respectively