Multinuclear Alkali Metal Complexes Of A Triphenylene-Based Hexamine And The Transmetalation To Tris(N-Heterocyclic Tetrylenes) (Ge, Sn, Pb)

A C-3-symmetric hexamine (LH6) based on the triphenylene and ortho-phenylenediamine (PDAH(2)) skeletons has been synthesized, and was partially or fully deprotonated upon treatment with alkali metal agents to afford amino-amido or diamido coordination sites. Four alkali metal complexes, the dinuclear [Na-2(LH4)(DME)(5)] (1) and [K-2(LH4)(DME)(4)] (2), trinuclear [K-3(LH3)(DME)(6)] (3), and hexanuclear [Li-6(L)(DME)(6)] (4), were obtained and used in transmetalation/ligand exchange with other metals. The hexalithium salt of the fully deprotonated ligand, [Li6L], reacted with heavier group 14 element halides to yield three tris(N-heterocyclic tetrylenes), the germylene [Ge-3(L)] (5), stannylene [Sn-3(L)] (6), and plumbylene [Pb-3(L)] (7). The synthesis and crystal and electronic structures of these compounds are reported.