One-step synthesis of new aluminum hydrides bearing a highly sterically hindered acenaphthene-1,2-diimine ligand

Treatment of a bulky dbhmp-bian ligand (dbhmp-bian = = 1,2-bis[(2,6-dibenzhydryl-4-methylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene) by 1 equiv. of LiAlH 4 or mixture of 3/4 equiv. LiAlH 4 and 1/3 eqiuv. AlCl 3 in tetrahydrofuran results in new hydrides [(dbhmp-bian)AlH2(THF)] - [Li(THF) 4 ] + and (dbhmp-bian)AlH(THF), respectively. Both complexes were characterized by spectroscopic (IR, NMR) and X-ray diffraction methods.