Reaction of dimethylaluminumfluoride with primary amines RNH2 (R = t-Bu, 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)

The first few steps of the title reaction of two bulky substituted primary amines with dimethylaluminumfluoride have been investigated in toluene. For RNH2 (R  2,6-i-Pr2C6H3) the formation of an unexpected ring system (Me2)Al4(NHR)2F2 (1, R  2,6-i-Pr2C6H3) is observed. The reaction was repeated in an NMR tube and monitored by 19F NMR spectroscopy. The product of Me2AlF and RNH2 (R  t-Bu) offers more information about the initial step of the reaction. During the course of the reaction the (Me2AlF)4 ring is cleaved and yields the adduct Me2AlF·NH2R (2, R  t-Bu), which has a polymeric structure in the solid state. In both reactions no methane evolution was observed.