The thermally stable tris(pyridyl) Al(III) complex [MeAl(2-py)3Li·THF] (1·THF), obtained from the reaction of lithiopyridine [2-pyLi] with MeAlCl2 (3:1 molar equiv, respectively), functions as a pyridyl-transfer reagent, as exemplified by the reaction of 1·THF with CuCl (1:1 molar equiv), which gives the Cu(I) organometallic [{Cu(2-py)}3]∞ (2). The solid-state structures of 1, the dimer [MeAl(2-py)3Li]2 ([1]2), and 2 are reported. Complex 2, which cannot be obtained by direct reaction of [2-pyLi] with CuCl, has a polymeric structure in which macrocyclic [Cu(2-py)]3 ring units form infinite offset stacks associated by short Cu···Cu interactions between three- and four-coordinate Cu(I) centers (2.762(3) Å).

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Thermolysis of the heterobimetallic phosphinidene complex [Sb(PCy)3]2- Li6.6HNMe2 (Cy = C6H11) at 303 to 313 kelvin gives Zintl compounds containing (Sb7)3- anions. The complex thus constitutes a stable molecular single-source precursor to Zintl compounds and provides a potential low-temperature route to photoactive alkali metal antimonates. The new chemical reaction involved, which is driven thermodynamically by the formation of P-P bonds, has implications in the low-temperature synthesis of other technologically important materials (such as gallium arsenide).

Reactions of the Al(III) complex [{MeAl(2-py)3}Li·THF] (1), containing the tripodal [MeAl(2-py)3]- ligand, with [(C7H8)Mo(CO)3], CaI2, and ZnCl2 give the trimetallic and bimetallic complexes [{MeAl(2-py)3}Mo(CO)3Li(THF)3] (2), [{MeAl(2-py)3}2Ca] (3), and [{MeAl(2-py)3}ZnCl] (4), respectively. [{ n BuIn(2-py)3}Li·THF] (5), an InIII analogue of 1 containing the [ n BuIn(2-py)3]- anion, is obtained by the one-pot reaction of n BuLi with InCl3 followed by reaction with 2-Li-py. Complex 5 reacts with [(C7H8)Mo(CO)3] to give [{ n BuIn(2-py)3}Mo(CO)3Li(THF)2]∞ (6) (analogous to the AlIII complex 2). The X-ray structures of the new complexes 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are reported.