Neutral and cationic enantiopure group 13 iminophosphonamide complexes

Synthesis and reactivity of enantiopure iminophosphonamide ligand L-H (L = [Ph$_{2}$P{N(R)CH(CH$_{3}$)Ph}$_{2}$]) with group 13 metal compounds has been investigated. The reaction of L-H with LiAlH$_{4}$ afforded the aluminium monohydride complex [L$_{2}$AlH]. The monochloride complexes [L$_{2}$MCl] (M = Al, Ga) were accessed by reacting corresponding MCl$_{3}$ (M = Al, Ga) with L-Li. Furthermore, the tetracoordinated aluminium cation [L$_{2}$Al]$^{+}$[GaCl$_{4}$]$^{-}$ and gallium cation [L$_{2}$Ga]$^{+}$[AlCl$_{4}$]$^{-}$ were obtained by chloride abstraction from [L$_{2}$MCl] (M = Al, Ga), respectively. The title complexes represent the first examples of enantiopure group 13 metal complexes coordinated by chiral iminophosphonamides. All complexes have been characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, multinuclear NMR, EA and IR studies.