N,N′-di-tert-butylethylenediamine–Cl n H 3 –n AlNMe ₃ derivatives: alane-rich [(H ₂ Al) ₂ {µ-N(Bu t )CH ₂ } ₂ ] and stable, intramolecular secondary amine alane complexes [Cl n H 2 –n Al{N(H)(Bu t )CH ₂ CH ₂ NBu t ], n= 0,1

Treatment of N,N′-di-tert-butylethylenediamine with two equivalents of H3AlNMe3 in diethyl ether affords a novel alane-rich amido species [(H2Al)2{µ-N(But)CH2}2]1, whereas with one equivalent a stable, intramolecularly coordinated secondary amine adduct of aluminium dihydride results, [H2[graphic omitted]But]2; the monochloro analogue [Cl(H)[graphic omitted]But]3 is accessible using ClH2AlNMe3, as a mixture of diastereoisomers in solution.