Bridged aminotroponiminate complexes of zinc

Reactions of the n-propyl-bridged diaminotroponimine H-2{(iPr)TP} with dialkylzinc compounds in toluene lead, depending on the stoichiometric ratio, either to dimetallic singly bridged products of composition [(RZn)(2){(iPr)TP}] [R = Me (1), Et (2)] or to dimetallic doubly bridged helical products of composition [Zn{(iPr)TP}](2) (3). Compound 3, which was characterised by single-crystal diffraction methods, is the first bridged aminotroponiminate complex in which a helical structure is observed. (C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003.