Quest for lithium amidinates containing adjacent amino donor group at the central carbon atom

Lithium amidinate complexes bearing different peripheral substituents on both nitrogen atoms (iPr and Dipp (2,6-di(isopropyl)phenyl-) and pendant, potentially coordinating group originated from the 2-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)phenyl moiety, at the central carbon atom were prepared by addition of the 2-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)phenyllithium to the appropriate carbodiimides. The structure of the isopropyl group substituted lithium amidinates is dimeric with bidentate amidinate unit and four-coordinated lithium atom. On contrary the Dipp group substituted lithium amidinate is monomeric with trigonal planar geometry of the lithium atom, monodentately bound amidinate unit and coordinated pendant arm.