Synthesis and Structure of a Phenylsodium Solvate, Bis[μ‐phenyl(pentamethyldiethylenetriamine)sodium]

Abstract

A higher coordination number at Na⊕ than at Li⊕—due to the larger ionic radius of Na–is the reason why NaPh crystallizes with pentamethyldiethylenetriamine as the dimer 1 instead of as the monomer. Compound 1 is the first phenylsodium compound whose structure could be elucidated. The middle N atom of the ligand is bound markedly more weakly than the terminal atom, since the lone pair cannot be optimally directed toward the Na⊕ ion (○ = Na⊕, • = N).