Abstract
A tetralithio salt (1) derived by treating 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-cyclooctatriene with (BuLi)-Bu-n serves as the first structural evidence for a multi-alkali metallocene. Single-crystal XRD confirms two Li+ each asymmetrically bind to eta(3) and eta(4) between two COT '' rings and two Li+ terminally bind to eta(3). Solid-state NMR studies confirm the presence of two distinct lithium ion sites while the solution NMR studies suggest the formation of an (COT '' dianion) ion-pair in solution. Further treating of the tetralithio salt with NaCl leads to linear sodium polymeric chains. Therefore, simply changing the ionic radius changes the molecular structure.