Dibenzyl and diallyl 2,6-bisiminopyridinezinc(II) complexes: selective alkyl migration to the pyridine ring leads to remarkably stable dihydropyridinates.

Diorganozinc compounds (ZnR2) with R = CH2Ph or CH2CH=CH2 react with 2,6-bisiminopyridines ((iPr)BIP) to afford thermally stable dihydropyridinate(-1) complexes, and do not react if R = CH2SiMe3 or CH2CMe2Ph. NMR studies reveal that dibenzylzinc binds (iPr)BIP at -80 °C, yielding the unstable complex [Zn(CH2Ph)2((iPr)BIP)]. Above -20 °C, this undergoes selective alkyl migration to the remote 4 position of the central pyridine ring.