Alkyl Complexes of Lanthanum and Samarium Supported by a Chiral Binaphthylamido Ligand. Syntheses, Structures, and Catalytic Activity in Hydroamination of Amino-1,3-dienes

The reactions of ( R )-(+)-2,2′-bis(cyclopentylamino)-1,1′-binaphthyldiamine with [Li(THF) n ] 3 [LnMe 6 ] (Ln = La, Sm) in THF at 0 °C depending on the metal ion size result in the formation of trinuclear [( R )-C 20 H 12 (NC 5 H 9 ) 2 ]Sm[(μ-Me) 2 Li(THF) 2 (μ-Me)Li(THF)] ( 1 ) or tetranuclear [( R )-C 20 H 12 (NC 5 H 9 ) 2 ]La{(μ-Me) 2 Li(THF)[(μ-Me)Li(THF)] 2 } ( 2 ) complexes with methyl ligands μ-bridging lanthanide and lithium atoms. The structures of complexes 1 and 2 were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and solution NMR studies. These new complexes were evaluated as catalysts to promote the enantioselective hydroamination of amino-1,3-dienes.