C−H versus C−N Bond Cleavage Promoted by Niobium(II) Amide

Despite their close structural similarity, the potassium and lithium salts of dipyridylamine and diphenylamine [(C 5 H 5 N) 2 N -, Ph 2 N - ] react with (TMEDA) 2 Nb 2 Cl 5 Li(TMEDA) in THF to afford two different compounds arising from the cooperative oxidative addition of the two metal centers on either the C−H or C−N bond of the amide ligand.