The X-ray crystal structure of[Li-C
![](/images/entities/tbd1.gif)
C-SiMe
2-C
6H
4-OMe]
6(
14)
6 features nearly symmetric
![](/images/gifchars/pi.gif)
-interactions between the lithium ions and the acetylide anions(Li
1-C
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
= 2.353(9) Å,Li
1-C
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
= 2.292(9) Å).These
![](/images/gifchars/pi.gif)
-contacts are facilitated by the chelating
o-anisyl methoxy groups(Li
1-C
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
-C
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
=77.6(4)
![](/images/entities/deg.gif)
, Li
1-O
1 =2.169(9)Å). The Li-C
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
distances in the(LiC
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
)
6 core of (
14)
6differ significantly (Li
1![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
-C
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
=2.132(9) Å, Li
1b-C
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
=2.205(11) Å). This Li-C
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
distancedifferentiation is unique in organolithium hexamers, and is due toLi(C
![](/images/entities/tbd1.gif)
C-R)"side-on-
![](/images/gifchars/pi.gif)
" and "end-on-
![](/images/gifchars/sigma.gif)
" contacts, as is showncomputationally in H-C
![](/images/entities/tbd1.gif)
C-Li(LiH)
2(
20). A second X-raycrystal structure,[Li-O-CMe
2-C
![](/images/entities/tbd1.gif)
C-H]
6(
22)
6, reveals electrostatic
![](/images/gifchars/pi.gif)
-interactionsbetween the lithiums in the(LiO)
6 core and the nonmetalated acetylene groups(Li
1-C
2 = 2.443(5) Å,Li
1-C
3 = 2.749(6) Å). TheseLi-C
![](/images/gifchars/pi.gif)
-contacts shorten upon acetylene lithiation, as is showncomputationally in Li-O-CH
2-C
![](/images/entities/tbd1.gif)
C-(H/Li)(
24-H/Li).Additional computations reveal that the
![](/images/gifchars/pi.gif)
-interactions in(HC
![](/images/entities/tbd1.gif)
C)M
2H (
26-Li-Cs) complexes (modellingoligo- andpolymeric M-C
![](/images/entities/tbd1.gif)
C-R) are weak (only 0.7 kcal/mol for Li), butsubstantial in M
+(H-C
![](/images/entities/tbd1.gif)
C-H)(
27-Li-Cs) species(20.2 kcal/mol for Li
+). In
26-Li-Cs, the
![](/images/gifchars/pi.gif)
-contacts increase the C
![](/images/entities/tbd1.gif)
C bond lengths slightly (0.005 Å for Li)andlower the C
![](/images/entities/tbd1.gif)
C stretching frequencies (33 cm
-1 for Li),they polarize charge density from C
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
towardC
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
and henceresult in counterion-induced charge delocalizations. The degreesof
![](/images/gifchars/pi.gif)
-interactions both in (
26-Li-Cs) and in(
27-Li-Cs) decrease with increasing size of the alkalications.