Cation effects on dynamics of ligand-benzylated formazanate boron and aluminium complexes

The dynamic processes present in ligand-benzylated formazanate boron and aluminium complexes are investigated using variable temperature NMR experiments and lineshape analyses. The observed difference in activation parameters for complexes containing either organic countercations (NBu4+) or alkali cations is rationalized on the basis of a different degree of ion-pairing in the ground state, and the data are in all cases consistent with a mechanism that involves pyramidal inversion at the nitrogens in the heterocyclic ring rather than homolytic N-C(benzyl) bond cleavage. This journal is