STEREOCHEMISTRY OF POLYNUCLEAR COMPOUNDS OF MAIN GROUP ELEMENTS .9. STRUCTURE OF BIS(DIMETHYLAMINO)BERYLLIUM AND ITS REACTION WITH TRIMETHYLALUMINUM

The molecular structure of bis(dimethylamino)beryllium, {Be[N(CH3)2]2}3, has been determined by three-dimensional X-ray crystallographic techniques. The intensities of 506 independent reflections were measured on a counter diffractometer; full-matrix, least-squares refinement of isotropic thermal parameters for hydrogen atoms and anisotropic parameters for the remaining atoms gave a final weighted discrepancy index of 0.080. The compound crystallizes in the space group Fddd with unit cell dimensions α = 20.564 (12), b = 4.073 (8), c = 13.312 (8) Å; p(obsd) 0.95 g cm-1, p(calcd), assuming z = 8 trimeric units, 1.01 g cm-2. The linear trimeric molecules possess D2d symmetry with two structurally nonequivalent metal atoms. The central beryllium atom is bound to four nitrogen atoms, while the two terminal beryllium atoms are three-coordinate. The terminal dimethylamino nitrogen atoms are coplanar with the attached methyl carbon atoms and a beryllium atom. © 1969, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.