Carbene adducts of magnesium and zinc

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(93)83336-T

The syntheses and characterizations of adducts of dialkylmagnesium and dialkylzinc with nucleophilic carbenes are described.These carbene adducts are available directly from the reaction of the stable nucleophilic carbenes 1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene or 1,3-di(1-adamantyl)imidazol-2-ylidene and the dialkylmetal compounds.The X-ray crystal structures of the 1,3-di(1-adamantyl)imidazol-2-ylidene * diethylzinc adduct and 1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene * diethylmagnesium are reported.The adamantyl substituted carbene gave a monomeric metal adduct whereas the mesityl substituted carbene shows a structure with bridging alkyl substituted carbene gave a monomeric metal adduct whereas the mesityl substituted carbene shows a structure with bridging alkyl groups.