Structural and EPR characterisation of single electron and alkyl transfer products from reaction of dimethyl magnesium with bulky (alpha)-diimine ligands

Treatment of dimethylmagnesium with bulky (alpha)-diimine ligands provides either the biradical methyl-bridged complexes [((alpha)-diimine–(bullet))Mg+((mu)-CH3)]2via single electron transfer (SET), or the product of methyl transfer to an imine carbon atom depending upon conditions.