Dibenzyl and diallyl 2,6-bisiminopyridinezinc(ii) complexes: Selective alkyl migration to the pyridine ring leads to remarkably stable dihydropyridinates

Diorganozinc compounds (ZnR2) with R = CH2Ph or CH2CHCH2 react with 2,6-bisiminopyridines ( iPrBIP) to afford thermally stable dihydropyridinate(-1) complexes, and do not react if R = CH2SiMe3 or CH2CMe 2Ph. NMR studies reveal that dibenzylzinc binds iPrBIP at -80 °C, yielding the unstable complex [Zn(CH2Ph) 2(iPrBIP)]. Above -20 °C, this undergoes selective alkyl migration to the remote 4 position of the central pyridine ring. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.This work has been supported by the Spanish Government, Junta de Andalucía and the European Union (Projects CTQ2012-30962, FQM5074 and FEDER funds). The authors also thank the Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI-CSIC) for the co-financing of this publication in Open Access.Peer Reviewe