An unprecedented mixed alkali metal organonitrogen ladder: synthesis, NMR spectroscopic studies, and x-ray crystallographic studies of the dilithium disodium amide [{LiNa[N(CH2Ph)2]2.cntdot.OEt2}2]

If the small number of mixed alkali metal organic formulations’ being increasingly utilized in proton abstraction applications2 are typical, then a group of such compounds would be of considerable value to the synthetic chemist. Indeed, a new class of mixed Li/Na and Li/K organic compounds could offer a range of reactivities and selectivities even surpassing that of conventional organolithium reagents. However, as yet, species of this type are rare. We are therefore attempting to develop this area synthetically and to elucidate the structural makeup of any new mixed metal aggregate formed.