Synthesis of cationic zinc complexes from protonated diazadienes and ZnR2 (R = Et, N(SiMe3)2). The crystal structures of [PriDADH][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2], [{PriDADZn(μ-OH)}2][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2]2, and [Ph*DADZnN(SiMe3)2][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2]

Protonation of diazadienes (DAD) with [H(OEt2)2][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2] gives salts of the extremely weakly coordinating amido-diborate anion, [DADH][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2], which show inter-ionic NH⋯F hydrogen bonding in the solid state. The compounds react with zink alkyls and amides to give three- and four-coordinate complexes such as [{(PriDAD)Zn(μ-OH)}2][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2]2 and [(Ph*DAD)ZnR][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2] [R = Me, N(SiMe3)2; Ph*DAD = (MeCNC6H3Ph2-2,6)2]. Here, too, inter-ionic hydrogen bonding to organic fluorine atoms is an important structural element.