Synthesis and structure of a monomeric chiral lithium dialkylaluminium amide derived from Schöllkopf's bis-lactim ether and α -(methylbenzyl)benzylamine

Crystals of a monomeric lithium dialkylaluminium amide containing two different chiral amide moieties have been isolated from the reaction of lithiated Schöllkopf's bis-lactim ether complexed by pmdta with the diethylaluminium amide of (S)-α-(methylbenzyl)benzylamine, with single crystal X-ray diffraction revealing a migration of the Li cation in the aluminate from its initial position on the pyrazine ring of the lactim ether precursor. (