In compound 2, Al bonds to the DMP ligand through an Al-C bond and the energy needed to eliminate the DMP ligand is 418.94 kJ mol -1 , significantly higher than the corresponding Al-H energy and suggesting a high stability of this metal-ligand coordination. There is also an Al-Cl bond in Al(DMP)HCl with bond dissociation energy 378.35 kJ mol -1 which is more stable than Al-H but less stable than Al-C. In 7, Al(Me2NEtN t Bu)H2, Al bonds to the Me2NEtN t Bu ligand through N labelled 1 in figure with a computed bond dissociation energy 456.82 kJ mol -1 .