Extremely bulky β-diketiminate complexes of calcium(II) and ytterbium(II)

The potassium salt of an extremely bulky beta-diketiminate, [K((Ar*)Nacnac)] ((Ar*)Nacnac, [((NCMe)-N-Ar*)(2)CH](-); Ar*, C6H2Me{C(H)Ph-2}(2)-4,2,6) was reacted with either CaI2 or YbI2(THF)(2), which afforded [(Ar*Nacnac)MI] (M = Ca or Yb). These are the first examples of structurally characterised, donor solvent-free, N-arene substituted beta-diketiminato calcium and ytterbium complexes that incorporate a terminal iodide ligand. Reduction of [((Ar*)Nacnac)CaI] with sodium metal gave a complex product mixture, from which a few crystals of the beta-diketiminate C-H activated product, [{Ca(mu-(Ar*)Nacnac(-H))}(2)], were obtained and crystallographically characterised. In an attempt to form a terminal ytterbium hydride compound, treatment of [((Ar*)Nacnac)YbI] with K[HBEt3] gave a good yield of the contact ion pair compound [((Ar*)Nacnac)Yb(HBEt3)].

Automated summary

This article describes a new type of calcium and ytterbium complexes, which only contain β-diketiminate calcium and ytterbium ligands without donor solvents. The article also reports a C-H activated product of β-diketiminate calcium and a contact ion pair ytterbium compound.