Scandium alkyl complexes supported by a ferrocene diamide ligand

Synthesis of a scandium dimethylbenzyl complex supported by a ferrocene diamide ligand was accomplished by alkane elimination from Sc(CH(2)Xy-3,5)(3)(THF)(2). The scandium dimethylbenzyl complex Sc(fc[NSi(tBu)Me-2](2))(CH(2)Xy-3,5)(THF), 2-(CH(2)Xy-3,5)(THF), was used as a starting material for the synthesis of the corresponding chloride-bridged dimer, (2-CI)(2), which, in turn, led to a scandium bis(neo-pentyl) ate salt, Li[2Np(2)]. Attempts to remove the coordinated THF molecule from 2-(CH(2)Xy-3,5)(THF) with AlMe3 led to the isolation of a scandium methyl complex with two coordinated AlMe3 molecules, 2-Me(AlMe3)(2). Compound 2-Me(AlMe3)(2) led to a scandium methyl complex, 2-Me(THF)(2), by stirring in THF. All ferrocene diamido compounds were characterized by X-ray crystallography. DFT calculations on model compounds were used to explain the stability of the compounds synthesized and to probe the existence of an iron-scandium interaction. Compounds 2-(CH(2)Xy-3,5)(THF) and 2-Me(AlMe3)(2) polymerize L-lactide.