New organo- and amidozinc derivatives of primary amines.

Five new zinc derivatives of primary amines [R'ZnN(H)R](2) [R = SiPh3, R' = Me (1), N(SiMe3)(2) (4); R = Si(NMe2)(3), R' = Me (2), Et (3), N(SiMe3)(2) (5)] have been synthesised by reaction of R-2'Zn and H2NR. All five species are dimers in which the N-H groups are disposed in a trans manner about a central Zn2N2 ring. In 1 and 4 the coordination at zinc is trigonal planar, while in 2, 3, 5 the zinc is in a distorted tetrahedral environment due to additional Me2N: -> Zn coordination from one SiNMe2 group. 5 was found to be generally resistant to NH deprotonation by bases such as MN(SiMe3)(2) (M = Li, K) or Zn[N(SiMe3)(2)](2), but reacts with Sn[N(SiMe3)(2)](2) to give the tin-free, tetrameric mixed zinc-imido/amido species, [{(Me3Si)(2)-N}{(Me2N)(3)SiN(H)}{(Me2N)(3)SiN}Zn-2](2) (6) which can be viewed as part of a hexameric Zn6N6 drum which has lost a Zn2N2 ring.