Bis(phosphinimino)methyl derivatives of Ca, Sr and Ba: facile access to heavier alkaline earth organometallic chemistry

A series of mononuclear and arene-soluble bis(phosphinimino)methyl derivatives of the heavier alkaline earth metals, calcium, strontium and barium, have been obtained by straightforward addition of two molar equivalents of [KN(SiMe3)2] to a mixture of [CH2(Ph2P=NC6H2-Me3-2,4,6)2] and MI2(M = Ca, Sr, Ba) in THF.