Transition Metal Complexes Supported by a Neutral Tetraamine Ligand Containing <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-dimethylaniline Units

First-row transition metal-halide complexes of tris(2-dimethylaminophenyl)amine, LMe, have been synthesized and characterized. X-ray crystallographic studies on [Co(LMe)Br]BPh4, [Ni(LMe)Cl]BPh4, [Fe(LMe)Cl]BPh4, and [Cu(LMe)Cl]BF4 have been performed, and in all cases the ligand produces five-coordinate complexes with distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometries. Where possible, comparisons have been made to the structures of related neutral tripodal ligands. Spectroscopic and magnetic studies of these complexes are also described. The Cu(I)-carbonyl complexes [Cu(LMe)(CO)]PF6 and [Cu(Me6tren)(CO)]PF6 (Me6tren = tris(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl)amine) have also been prepared. Infrared spectroscopic investigations of these carbonyl complexes confirm that LMe is a less electron donating ligand than Me6tren and indicate that LMe can impart a different coordination number in the solid-state.