CH Bond Activation by f-Block Complexes

Most homogeneous catalysis relies on the design of metal complexes to trap and convert substrates or small molecules to value-added products. Organometallic lanthanide compounds first gave a tantalizing glimpse of their potential for catalytic CH bond transformations with the selective cleavage of one CH bond in methane by bis(permethylcyclopentadienyl)lanthanide methyl [(η5-C5Me5)2Ln(CH3)] complexes some 25 years ago. Since then, numerous metal complexes from across the periodic table have been shown to selectively activate hydrocarbon CH bonds, but the challenges of closing catalytic cycles still remain; many f-block complexes show great potential in this important area of chemistry.