Stepwise fluorination of [MeAlN(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)](3) using trimethyltin fluoride as fluorinating agent

The fluorination of [MeAlN(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)](3) 1 using 1 and 2 eq., respectively, trimethyltin fluoride leads to the mono- and difluoro compounds, [FAl(MeAl)(2)(N(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3))(3)](.)2THF 2 and [(FAl)(2)MeAl(N(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3))(3)](.)3THF 3, where each methyl group can be selectively exchanged for terminal fluorine atoms (Al-F). The reaction of 1 and 3 eq. of trimethyltin fluoride leads to the trifluoro compound [FAlN(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)](3)(.)3THF 4 and [Me2SnN(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)](2) 5 as a by-product. The core of compound 5 consists of a tin-nitrogen four-membered Sn2N2 ring. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.