Kinetic stabilisation of a molecular strontium hydride complex using an extremely bulky amidinate ligand.

Two extremely bulky amidinate ligands, [RC{N(Dip)}{N(Ar†)}]- (Dip = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl; Ar† = C6H2{C(H)Ph2}2Pri-2,6,4; R = 1-adamantyl (LAd), tert-butyl (LtBu)) have been developed and utilised for the kinetic stabilisation of the strontium and magnesium hydride complexes, [LAdSr(μ-H)]2 and [LRMg(μ-H)]2 (R = Ad or But). The former represents the missing link in the series of dimeric systems, [LAe(μ-H)]2 (Ae = alkaline earth metal). The structure and bonding of the complexes have been studied by crystallographic, spectroscopic and computational techniques.