Lithium bromide-induced structural changes in a nickel bis-alkoxide complex.

The bis-alkoxide [(DEAMP)2Ni] (1, DEAMP = 1-(diethylamino)-2-methylpropan-2-olate) was found to react with trace amounts of lithium bromide to afford the bis-LiBr adduct 2, in which the oxygens of the DEAMP ligand coordinate to lithium to form a chiral-at-metal complex. This new complex is five-coordinate at nickel, and contains nickel and oxygen atoms which are all chiral. One diastereomer precipitates from pentane solution. The two lithium ions rigidify the new structure in the solid state by coordinating to the oxygen and bromide atoms.