The metalation of N,N‐dimethylaminomethylferrocene in THF by the superbasic mixture of nBuLi/KOtBu proceeds readily at low temperatures to afford a bimetallic Li2K2 aggregate containing ferrocenyl anions and tert‐butoxide. Starting from an enantiomerically enriched ortho‐lithiated aminomethylferrocene, an enantiomerically pure superbase can be prepared. The molecular compound exhibits superbasic behavior deprotonating N,N‐dimethylbenzylamine in the α‐position and is also capable of deprotonating toluene. Quantum chemical calculations provide insight into the role of the bridging THF molecule to the possible substrate–reagent interaction. In addition, a benzylpotassium alkoxide adduct gives a closer look into the corresponding reaction site of the Lochmann–Schlosser base that is reported herein.
The title compound N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethanediamine, C6H16N2, is a bidentate amine ligand commonly used in organolithium chemistry for deaggregation. Crystals were grown at 243 K from n-pentane solution. The complete molecule is generated by a crystallographic center of symmetry and the conformation of the diamine is antiperiplanar. To investigate the intermolecular interactions, a Hirshfeld surface analysis was performed. It showed that H...H (van der Waals) interactions dominate with a contact percentage of 92.3%.
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