A novel group of alkaline earth metal amides: syntheses and characterization of M[N(2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3))(SiMe(3))](2)(THF)(2) (M = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) and the linear, two-coordinate Mg[N(2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3))(SiMe(3))](2).

Novel alkaline earth metal aryl-substituted silylamides were prepared using alkane (Mg) and salt elimination reactions (Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba). The salt elimination regime involved the treatment of the alkaline earth metal iodides with 2 equiv of the respective potassium amide KNDiip(SiMe(3)), (Diip = 2,6-i-Pr(2)C(6)H(3)). The organomagnesium source for the alkane elimination was ((n)()Bu/(s)()Bu)(2)Mg. All compounds were characterized using (1)H, (13)C NMR, and IR spectroscopy, in addition to X-ray crystallography (except MgNDiip(SiMe(3))THF(2)). Crystal data with Mo Kalpha (lambda = 0.710 73 A) are as follows: MgNDiip(SiMe(3)), 1, a = 9.4687(6) A, b = 9.6818(6) A, c = 17.9296(1) A, alpha = 96.487(1) degrees, beta = 94.537(1) degrees, gamma = 89.222(1) degrees, V = 1608.8(2) A(3), Z = 2 (two independent molecules), triclinic, space group P(-)1, R1 (all data) = 0.0508; (n)()BuMg[NDiip(SiMe(3))]THF(2), 2, a = 9.5413(1) A, b = 16.493(2) A, c = 9.8218(1) A, beta = 108.149(2) degrees, V = 1468.7(4) A(3), Z = 2, monoclinic, space group P2(1), R1(all data) = 0.1232; CaNDiip(SiMe(3))THF(2), 4, a = 9.7074(1) A, b = 20.9466(4) A, c = 21.6242(3) A, alpha = 73.573(1) degrees, beta = 78.632(1) degrees, gamma = 89.621(1) degrees, V = 4129.1(1) A(3), Z = 4 (two independent molecules), triclinic, space group P(-)1, R1 (all data) = 0.0902; SrNDiip(SiMe(3))THF(2), 5, a = 20.5874(5) A, b = 9.8785(2) A, c = 20.8522(5) A, beta = 102.035(2) degrees, V = 4147.6(2) A(3), Z = 4 (two independent molecules), monoclinic, space group P2/n, R1 (all data) = 0.0756; BaNDiip(SiMe(3))THF(2), 6, a = 20.5476(2) A, b = 10.0353(2) A, c = 20.9020(4) A, beta = 101.657(1) degrees, V = 4221.0(1) A(3), Z = 4 (two independent molecules), monoclinic, space group P2/n, R1 (all data) = 0.0573.