Abstract
The geometrically constrained, Lewis acidic magnesium diamide complex, [Mg((Et)NON(TCHP))] ((Et)NON(TCHP) = 4,5-bis(2,4,6-tricyclohexylanilido)-2,7-diethyl-9,9-dimethyl-xanthene), forms complexes with a series of metallocenes, [Mg((Et)NON(TCHP))(η(2)-Cp(2)M)] (M = Mn, Fe, Co, or Ni), in which one cyclopentadienyl ring of the metallocene is η(2)-coordinated to the magnesium center. Treating the heavier group 2 metal amide complexes, [M((Et)NON(TCHP)){N(H)(SiMe(3))(2)}] (M = Ca, Sr or Ba) with ferrocene yields complexes [M((Et)NON(TCHP))(η(5)-Cp(2)Fe)] in which one cyclopentadienyl ring of ferrocene is η(5)-coordinated to the group 2 metal center. Computational studies on the metallocene complexes reveal that the metallocene-group 2 metal interactions are largely electrostatic in nature.