The dilithiation of 2, 2′-bis (2-methoxyethylamino) diphenyl ether (4) and 2, 2′-bis (N, N- dimethylethylenediamino) diphenyl ether (7) in the absence of any Lewis base donor resulted in the formation of dimeric complexes 8 and 9, respectively, containing the unprecedented Li4O2N4 “adamantanoid” metal core as a consequence of the self- recognition and self-assembly involving the two metallated subunits. In contrast, on ...
