10.1039/b808717b
The research investigates the synthesis and molecular structures of three N-heterocyclic plumbylenes derived from saturated heterocycles. The purpose of the study is to explore the synthesis and structural properties of these compounds, which are analogues of N-heterocyclic carbenes using the heavier group 14 element lead. The key chemicals used in the research include diamines such as 1,2-bis(diisopropylphenylamino)ethane and 1,3-bis(diisopropylphenylamino)propane, as well as lead compounds like PbCl? and bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)amido]lead(II). The researchers synthesized the plumbylenes through deprotonation of diamines followed by reaction with PbCl? or via transamination with bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)amido]lead(II). Single crystal X-ray studies revealed that the compounds exhibit a fine balance between monomer and dimer formation, influenced by the bulk of the organic groups attached to the nitrogen atoms. The study concludes that the plumbylenes possess extremely short and symmetrical Pb–N bonds when only weak intermolecular interactions exist, but for the compound with less sterically demanding substituents, strong intermolecular Pb–N interactions lead to longer and unsymmetrical intramolecular Pb–N separations and pyramidalization of the nitrogen atoms. The findings extend the understanding of the structural properties of N-heterocyclic plumbylenes and their potential applications in coordination chemistry.