An efficient route for the synthesis of a Tin(II) substituted carbodiimide from a diazo compound.

The reaction of beta-diketiminate substituted tin(II) chloride, LSnCl (1; L = HC{(CMe)(2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3)N)}(2)), with the lithium salt of trimethylsilyl diazomethane (LiC(N(2))SiMe(3)) is described. In the course of the reaction, the exclusive formation of tin(II) substituted carbodiimide LSnNCNSiMe(3) (2) is observed in good yield. This reaction occurs at room temperature without any side products. Furthermore, we reacted diiron nonacarbonyl, Fe(2)(CO)(9), with compound 2 to confirm the carbodiimide skeleton (N=C=N) without rearrangement. The latter reaction leads to the tin(II) coordinate iron carbonyl complex LSnNCNSiMe(3)Fe(CO)(4) (3). Compounds 2 and 3 were investigated by microanalysis and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and were further characterized by X-ray structural analysis.