A two-metal job: Four-coordinate aluminum dihydrides such as 1 are reported as terminal reductants for the selective title reaction. The heterobimetallic complex 2 has been isolated and shown to be catalytically competent.

The chemoselective C−O bond functionalization of benzofuran with an aluminum dihydride may be catalyzed by zirconocene dichlorides. The reaction proceeds with the formal addition of a C−O bond to, and elimination of dihydrogen from, aluminum. The product of C−O bond alumination reacts with benzaldehyde via insertion of the carbonyl into the newly formed Al−C bond.

The reaction of a series of dinucleating bis(β-diketiminate) pro-ligands with mesitylcopper in the presence and absence of mono and diphosphines has allowed the isolation of a new series of dicopper(I) complexes. Inclusion of trans -1,2-cyclohexyl (1), 2,6-pyridyl (2), and 2,2'-oxydiaryl (3)

Man nehme zwei Metalle: Vierfach koordinierte Aluminiumdihydride wie 1 sind das Reduktionsmittel in der selektiven Titelreaktion. Der Heterodimetallkomplex 2 wurde isoliert und als katalytisch aktive Spezies identifiziert.

Four‐coordinate diketiminate‐stabilized aluminum dihydrides are found to be effective terminal reductants in the zirconocene‐catalyzed dehydrofluorination of fluoroarenes (yields determined by NMR).