Europium complexes with 1,2-bis(arylimino)acenaphthenes: a search for redox isomers

Reduction of 1,2-bis[(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene (dpp-bian, 1) with metallic europium in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (dme) under anaerobic conditions gave a europium(II) complex with the acenaphthene-1,2-diimine dianion, (dpp-bian)Eu(dme)(2) (4), in high yield. Oxidation of complex 4 with triphenyltin chloride or 1,2-dibromostilbene afforded the corresponding halogen derivatives [(dpp-bian)Eu(A mu-Cl)(dme)](2) (5) and [(dpp-bian)Eu(A mu-Br)(dme)](2) (6). The molecular structures of complexes 4-6 were determined by X-ray diffraction. The magnetic moments of complexes 5 and 6 remain constant over a temperature range from 25 to 295 K; they are indicative of the presence of the europium(II) ion and the dpp-bian radical anion in both the complexes.