“…The use of sterically less demanding ligands resulted in dismutation reactions with the formation of the mononuclear trialkylaluminium derivatives and a mixture of unknown secondary products [13]. The potential of the above dialuminium compounds to react as chelating Lewis acids in the presence of an auxiliary base (e. g. TMEN) was demonstrated for 1a by the synthesis and characterisation of a range of mono-adducts [Li(base) n ][1a(X)] (X = NO 2 [14], NO 3 [14], N 3 [15], CH 3 CO 2 [15], Me 2 PCHPMe 2 [16]) and [Li(base) n ][1a(R')] (R' = H [17], CH 2 -t-Bu [18], Me [19], n-Bu [19], C≡C-SiMe 3 [19], C≡C-t-Bu [19], C≡C-Ph [19], C≡C-PPh 2 [19]). In the solid state the anions X − are chelated by the two aluminium atoms via two of their heteroatoms thereby forming five-or six-membered heterocycles, while in most cases the R' anions are bound in a terminal fashion to only one aluminium atom.…”