Iminophosphoranomethanide ligands have been used to stabilize metal complexes, but their application as alkyl precursors in deprotonation reactions remains unexplored. Here, the authors prepare and characterize bis- and tris- methanide alkaline and rare earth complexes through protonolysis between dibenzyl metal precursors and the CH2(SiMe3)P(Ph)2 = NSiMe3 proligand or salt elimination reactions, and show that rare earth methanides can be used as synthetic precursors for the preparation of solvent-free complexes.
- Matthew P. Stevens
- Yu Liu
- Fabrizio Ortu
