Sodium amide solid state structure, 289

Although the first bis(iminophosphorano)methanides were reported by Elsevier,15 the first structurally characterised examples were reported by Cavell.16 Solvent-free 1 and 2 were prepared from the reaction between the parent methane and lithium or sodium bis(trimethylsilyl)amides in aromatic solvents. By avoiding Lewis base solvents such as ethers, dimeric complexes were isolated. Treatment with excess quantities of alkali metal amide did not effect a second deprotonation, even under reflux conditions over days, which was attributed to the less basic nature of amides compared to alkyls (see section 3.2 below). In addition to the expected methanide-alkali metal bonds, methine C H — Li interactions were observed in 1 in the solid state but the analogous C-H — Na interactions appeared to be weak in 2. 

---