Different Reductive Reactivities of SmCpx2(THF)n (Cpx = C5Me5 and C5H3tBu2) Samarocenes toward P2Ph4: THF Ring-Opening and Ligand-Exchange Pathways

Metal-carbon bonding in early lanthanide substituted cyclopentadienyl complexes probed by pulsed EPR spectroscopy

We examine lanthanide (Ln)-ligand bonding in a family of early Ln3+ complexes [Ln(Cptt)3] (1-Ln, Ln = La, Ce, Nd, Sm; Cptt = C5H3tBu2-1,3) by pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) methods, and provide the first characterization of 1-La and 1-Nd by single crystal XRD, multinuclear NMR, IR and UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy. We measure electron spin T1 and Tm relaxation times of 12 and 0.2 μs (1-Nd), 89 and 1 μs (1-Ce) and 150 and 1.7 μs (1-Sm), respectively, at 5 K: the T1 relaxation of 1-Nd is more than 102 times faster than its valence isoelectronic uranium analogue. 13C and 1H hyperfine sublevel correlation (HYSCORE) spectroscopy reveals that the extent of covalency is negligible in these Ln compounds, with much smaller hyperfine interactions than observed for equivalent actinide (Th and U) complexes. This is corroborated by ab initio calculations, confirming the predominant electrostatic nature of the metal-ligand bonding in these complexes.

Divalent metallocenes of the lanthanides - a guideline to properties and reactivity

Since the discovery in the early 1980s, the soluble divalent metallocenes of lanthanides have become a steadily growing field in organometallic chemistry. The predominant part of the investigation has been performed with samarium, europium, and ytterbium, whereas only a few reports dealing with other rare earth elements were disclosed. Reactions of these metallocenes can be divided into two major categories: (1) formation of Lewis acid-base complexes, in which the oxidation state remains +II; and (2) single electron transfer (SET) reductions with the ultimate formation of Ln(III) complexes. Due to the increasing reducing character from Eu(II) over Yb(II) to Sm(II), the plethora of literature concerning redox reactions revolves around the metallocenes of Sm and Yb. In addition, a few reactivity studies on Nd(II), Dy(II) and mainly Tm(II) metallocenes were published. These compounds are even stronger reducing agents but significantly more difficult to handle. In most cases, the metals are ligated by the versatile pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ligand: (C₅Me₅). Other cyclopentadienyl ligands are fully covered but only discussed in detail, if the ligand causes differences in synthesis or reactivity. Thus, the focus lays on three compounds: [(C₅Me₅)₂Sm], [(C₅Me₅)₂Eu] and [(C₅Me₅)₂Yb] and their solvates. We discuss the synthesis and physical properties of divalent lanthanide metallocenes first, followed by an overview of the reactivity rendering the full potential of these versatile reactants.

Tetramethylcyclopentadienyl Samarium(II) Metallocene Chemistry: Isolation of a Bimetallic Sm(II)/Sm(II) Complex

The salt metathesis reaction between one equivalent of SmI2(THF)2 and two equivalents of K(C5Me4H) in THF afforded single crystals of the unusual, toluene-soluble, and asymmetric bimetallic Sm(II)/Sm(II) complex, (C5Me4H)2SmII(μ-η3:η5-C5Me4H)SmII(C5Me4H)(THF)2, instead of the expected product, (C5Me4H)2SmII(THF)2. The toluene-insoluble products of this reaction can be worked up in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) to provide X-ray quality crystals of the monomeric Sm(II) metallocene, (C5Me4H)2SmII(DME). (C5Me4H)2SmII(DME) can also be synthesized directly by the reaction between one equivalent of SmI2(THF)2 and two equivalents of K(C5Me4H) in neat DME. The isolation and characterization of the bimetallic Sm(II)/Sm(II) complex provides supporting evidence for the possible oligomerization that may occur during the synthesis of Sm(II) complexes with cyclopentadienyl ligands that are less sterically bulky and less solubilizing than (C5Me5)1−.

Structural Diversity and Multielectron Reduction Reactivity of Samarium(II) Iodido-β-diketiminate Complexes Dependent on Tetrahydrofuran Content

The molecular structures of complexes [Sm(Nacnac)I(thf)_n] (Nacnac = HC(C(Me)Ndipp)₂^-, dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, thf = tetrahydrofuran) depending on the number of thf ligands are studied. The complete removal of thf from a known complex [Sm(Nacnac)I(thf)₂] leads to a tetranuclear product [Sm(Nacnac)I]₄ (4). The partial removal of thf results in mixtures of dinuclear [Sm₂(Nacnac)₂I₂(thf)] (2), trinuclear [Sm₃(Nacnac)₃I₃(thf)] (3), and tetranuclear [Sm₄(Nacnac)₄I₄(thf)₂] (4*) complexes and 4, depending on the conditions. The reaction of solvent-free SmI₂ with 1 equiv of K(Nacnac) results mainly in [Sm(Nacnac)₂] (1), while the interaction of 4 with certain amounts of thf allows obtaining pure 2 and 3 (with the admixture of 4*). Complex 4* is the exact dimer of 2, and both compounds are stable in solutions. Reactions with 3 and 4 as reductants are studied. 4 is oxidized by I₂ to stoichiometrically yield two products, mixed-valent tetranuclear [Sm₄(Nacnac)₄I₅] (5) and binuclear [Sm(Nacnac)I₂]₂ (6) complexes. In the reaction of 4 with ⁿBu₃PTe, a trinuclear complex [Sm₃(Nacnac)₃(μ-I)₃(μ₃-E)₂] (8, E = I or Te) is formed in small amounts, with the formation of 6 as the second product. 3 serves as a two-electron reductant in the reaction with ⁿBu₃PTe to yield a trinuclear complex [Sm₃(Nacnac)₃I₃(μ-Te₂)] (7). Complexes 2, 4, 4*, 5, 6, and 8 possess a unique flat Sm_xI_y core of heavy atoms, which is assumed to be a consequence of the Nacnac ligand geometry.

Selective carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage: expanding the toolbox for accessing bulky divalent lanthanoid sandwich complexes

The synthesis of two new tetra- and penta-phenycyclopentadienyldiphenylphosphine pro-ligands which readily undergo selective C-P bond cleavage has allowed for the facile synthesis of bulky divalent octa- and deca-phenylmetallocenes of europium, ytterbium and samarium.

Reactivity of Mixed Methyl-Aminobenzyl Guanidinate Lutetium Complex towards iPrN=C=NiPr, CS2 and Ph2PH

A heteroleptic terminal alkyl lutetium complex stabilized by a bulky guanidinato ligand, LLu(CH2C6H4NMe2-o)(Me)(THF) (1) (L = (PhCH2)2NC(NC6H3iPr2-2,6)2) has been synthesized by treatment of LLu(CH2C6H4NMe2-o)2 with AlMe3 (1 equiv) via an...

Synthesis and characterisation of light lanthanide bis-phospholyl borohydride complexes

Organometallic lanthanide (Ln) chemistry is dominated by complexes that contain substituted cyclopentadienyl (CpR) ligands. Closely related phospholyls have received less attention, and although they have proven utility in stabilising low oxidation state Ln complexes the trivalent Ln chemistry of these ligands is limited in comparison. Herein, we synthesise two families of heteroleptic Ln3+ complexes, [Ln(Htp)2(μ-BH4)]2 (Htp = 2,5-di-tert-butylphospholyl; 1-Ln; Ln = La, Ce, Nd, Sm), and [[Ln(Htp)2(μ-BH4)2K(S)]n (2-Ln, Ln = La, Ce, S = 2 DME, n = 2; 3-Ce, Ln = Ce, S = Et2O and THF, n = ∞) via the reactions of parent [Ln(BH4)3(THF)3.5] with K(Htp), to investigate differences between Ln complexes with substituted phospholyl ligands and analogous CpR complexes. Complexes 1-3-Ln were characterised as appropriate by single crystal XRD, SQUID magnetometry, elemental analysis, multinuclear NMR, ATR-IR and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. Ab initio calculations reveal that small changes in the Ln3+ coordination spheres of these complexes can have relatively large influences on crystal field splitting.

Monoanionic Anilidophosphine Ligand in Lanthanide Chemistry: Scope, Reactivity, and Electrochemistry

We present the synthesis of a series of new lanthanide(III) complexes supported by a monoanionic bidentate anilidophosphine ligand (N-(2-(diisopropylphosphanyl)-4-methylphenyl)-2,4,6-trimethylanilide, short PN^-). The work comprises the characterization of a variety of heteroleptic complexes containing either one or two PN ligands as well as a study on further functionalization possibilities. The new heteroleptic complexes cover selected examples over the whole lanthanide(III) series including lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, and lutetium. In case of the two diamagnetic metal cations lanthanum(III) and lutetium(III), we have furthermore studied the influence of the lanthanide ion (early vs. late) on the reactivity of these complexes. Thereby we found that the radius of the lanthanide ion has a major influence on the reactivity. Using sterically demanding, multidentate ligand systems, e.g., cyclopentadienide (Cp^-), we found that the lanthanum complex La(PN)₂Cl (1-La) reacts well to the corresponding cyclopentadienide complex, while for Lu(PN)₂Cl (1-Lu) no reaction was observed under any conditions tested. On the contrary, employing monodentate ligands such as mesitolate, thiomesitolate, 2,4,6-trimethylanilide or 2,4,6-trimethylphenylphosphide, results in the clean formation of the desired complexes for both lanthanum and lutetium. All complexes have been studied by various techniques, including multi nuclear NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. ³¹P NMR spectroscopy was furthermore used to evaluate the presence of open coordination sites on the complexes using coordinating and noncoordinating solvents, and as a probe for estimating the Ce-P distance in the corresponding complexes. Additionally, we present cyclic voltammetry (CV) data for Ce(PN)₂Cl (1-Ce), La(PN)₂Cl (1-La), Ce(PN)(HMDS)₂ (8-Ce) and La(PN)(HMDS)₂ (8-La) (with HMDS = hexamethyldisilazide, (Me₃Si)₂N^-) exploring the potential of the anilidophosphane ligand framework to stabilize a potential Ce(IV) ion.

Generation and reactivity of neutral 1,3-benzazaphosphole and anionic 1,3-benzazaphospholide ytterbium(iii) complexes

Treatment of Cp3Ln (Ln = Yb, Y) with 5-R3-6-R1-2-R2-1H-1,3-benzazaphosphole (HBp) (HBp1 (1a): R1 = H, R2 = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2, R3 = Me; HBp2(1b): R1 = Me, R2 = C6H5, R3 = H; HBp3(1c): R1 = R3 = H, R2 = C6H5) at room temperature gives the crystalline 1 : 1 Lewis acid-base adducts [(η1(p)-HBp)LnCp3] (2a-d) [Ln = Yb: Bp = Bp1 (2a), Bp2 (2b), Bp3 (2c); Ln = Y: Bp2 (2d)] with Ln-P donor bonds in good yields. Heating 2a-c in toluene leads to the liberation of one molecule of CpH to afford the corresponding N-bonded complexes [Cp2YbBp] (Bp = Bp1 (3a), Bp2 (3b), Bp3 (3c)). Interestingly, the P atom of complexes 3a-c can also be further coordinated to another Lewis acid such as Cp3Yb and B(C6F5)3 to give the adducts [Cp2Yb(μ-η1(N):η2(C,C):η1(P)-Bp)YbCp3] (Bp = Bp1 (4a), Bp2 (4b), Bp3 (4c)) and [Cp2Yb(μ-η1(N):η2(C,C):η1(P)-Bp)B(C6F5)3] (Bp = Bp1 (5a), Bp2 (5b), Bp3 (5c)), respectively. The molecular structures of complexes 2a, 4b-4c and 5c are confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis.