Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 15, 2025
Author Spotlight: Accelerating Discovery in Microporous Material Chemistry
Published on: October 6, 2023
Synthesis and coordination behaviour of aluminate-based quinolyl ligands
Jessica E Waters1, Schirin Hanf2, Marina Rincón-Nocito1
1Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK. dsw1000@cam.ac.uk.
Abstract:
The effects of moving the donor N-atom from the 2-position in lithium (2-pyridyl)- and (2-quinolyl)aluminates to the more remote position in (8-quinolyl)aluminates have been investigated by solid-state structural and DFT computational studies of the new complexes [{EtAl(2-qy)3}Li(μ-X)Li(THF)3] (X = Cl/Br 62 : 38) [(1)Li(μ-X)Li(THF)3], [{(EtAl(2-qy)3)Li}2(μ-Br)]-Li(THF)4+ [{1Li}2(μ-Br)]-Li(THF)4+, [{EtAl(2-Me-8-qy)3}Li] [(2)Li], [{Me2Al(2-Me-8-qy)2}Li(THF)] [(3a)Li(THF)], [{Me2Al(6-Me-2-py)2}Li(THF)2] [(4)Li(THF)2] and [{{EtAl(2-Me-8-qy)2}2O}(Li2THF)] (5). Increasing the remoteness of the donor N-atom from the bridgehead results in large differences in the coordination of the Li+ cations by the (8-quinolyl)aluminate anions compared to 2-quinolyl or 2-pyridyl counterparts. The results are of potential interest in understanding how the coordination sites of ligands of this type can be tuned for the coordination requirements of specific metal centres.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:51Metal-Ligand Bonds
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
02:42Valence Bond Theory
02:54Coordination Compounds and Nomenclature
03:02Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human...
02:34Structural Isomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can...
02:58Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...