Reactivity studies of a four-coordinate methyl chloro aluminium aminophenolate complex with B(C6F5)3

The X-ray characterized four-coordinate aminophenolate aluminium complex {6-(CH2NMe2)-2-CPh3-4-Me-C6H2O}Al(Me)(Cl) (1), which is readily available by reaction of the corresponding aminophenolate Li salt with MeAlCl2, slowly reacts with B(C6F5)3 to yield a 1/1 mixture of the Al methyl cation {6-(CH2NMe2)-2-CPh3-4-Me-C6H2O}Al(Me)(THF)+ (2, as View the MathML sourceMeB(C6F5)3- salt) and the Al dichloro derivative {6-(CH2NMe2)-2-CPh3-4-Me-C6H2O}AlCl2 (3). This reaction most likely proceeds via a Me− abstraction/ligand exchange sequence.