Stabilisation of Al(III) organometallics using a fluorenyl-tethered N-heterocyclic carbene ligand.

The application of tethered N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands in the stabilisation of low coordinate/oxidation state aluminium species is comparatively underdeveloped relative to the more commonly used monodentate NHCs. Building upon our recent investigations using fluorenyl-tethered NHC ligands, we herein report the synthesis and characterisation of a series of organometallic Al(III) complexes supported by this ligand system, together with efforts to generate corresponding low oxidation state aluminium species.