Synthesis and Solid-State Structure of (Li4Am3)+·{Li[(μ-Me)2Al(Me)tBu]2}− {Am = [PhNC(Ph)NPh]−}: A Polymeric Species Incorporating a Lithium-Nitrogen Cluster Cation

The sequential reaction of PhN(H)C(Ph)NPh (AmH) with AlMe3 and tBuLi leads to the isolation of both the cluster (Li4Am3)+·{Li[(μ-Me)2Al(Me)tBu]2}−(5) and the aluminium tris(amidinate) AlAm3(6). In the solid state, 5 has a polymeric structure based on tetranuclear Li4-cluster cations and lithium bis(aluminate) anions which associate by the formation of weak Li···MeAl bonds.