The First “Adamantoid” Alkaline Earth Metal Chelate Complex: Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity

Abstract

An Mg4 tetrahedron constitutes the center of the chelate complex anion of 1, which is obtained in 85% yield from diethyl malonate, methylmagnesium iodide, and oxalyl chloride (1:1:0.25). Acid hydrolysis of 1 affords the free chelate ligand, which is an extremely interesting synthetic building block.