Solvent‐free alkali and alkaline earth metal complexes of di‐imine ligands

Compound [(dph‐BIAN)Mg(THF)]2 (2) was prepared by reacting magnesium metal with 1,2‐bis[(2‐biphenyl)imino]acenaphthene (dph‐BIAN) in THF, followed by crystallization from toluene. Reaction of CaI2 with (dpp‐BIAN)Li2 in toluene afforded [(dpp‐BIAN)Li]2Ca (3) (dpp‐BIAN = 1,2‐bis[(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene). Both complexes 2 and 3 were characterized by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. The 1H NMR spectroscopic data obtained for complex 3 in toluene solution indicated an agostic interaction between the methyl groups of the ligand and lithium atoms.