Sterically crowded monomeric neutral bis(benzamidinato) compounds of aluminium, [PhC(NSiMe3)2]2AlX (X = Cl, H); X-ray crystal structure of [PhC(NSiMe3)2]2AlH

AlCl3 reacts with [PhC(NSiMe3)2]Li(OEt2) to afford the bis(N,N′-bis(trimethylsilyl)benzamidinato)aluminium chloro compound which, on treatment with KBEt3H, yields the structurally characterized monomeric hydrido derivative, [PhC(NSiMe3)2]2AlH, whose reactivity towards unsaturated hydrocarbons illustrates the low electrophilicity of the aluminium and high basic character of the hydrido group.