Lanthanocene and Cerocene Alkyl Complexes: Synthesis, Structure,and Reactivity Studies

Lanthanocene and cerocene alkyl complexes [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Ln(CH2C6H4-o-NMe2) (Ln = La 3 and Ce 4) were obtained from the salt metathesis of {[η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Ln(μ3-κ3-O3SCF3)2K(THF)2}2·THF (Ln = La 1·THF and Ce 2·THF) with LiCH2C6H4-o-NMe2. Reactivity of 3 and 4 toward various small molecules provides access to a series of lanthanide derivatives. For example, reactions of 3 and 4 with elemental chalcogens (sulfur and selenium) in 1:1 molar ratio give the lanthanide thiolates {[η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Ln(μ-SCH2C6H4-o-NMe2)}2 (Ln = La 5 and Ce 6) and selenolates {[η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Ln(μ-SeCH2C6H4-o-NMe2)}2 (Ln = La 7 and Ce 8). The compounds 3 and 4 react with two equivalents of elemental chalcogens (sulfur and selenium) to afford the lanthanide disulfides {[η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Ln}2(μ-η2:η2-S2) (Ln = La 9 and Ce 10) and diselenides {[η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Ln}2(μ-η2:η2-Se2) (Ln = La 11 and Ce 12). The lanthanide disulfides (9 and 10) or diselenides (11 and 12) can also be readily obtained through oxidat...