Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide insertion chemistry of f-block N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

The reactions of f-block silylamido N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes ([M(L)(N{SiMe3}(2))(2)], M = Y, Ce, and U, L = bidentate alkoxy-tethered NHC ligand) with CO and CO2 have been studied and compared to each other, to those of selected [M(L)(2)(N{SiMe3}(2))] complexes, and to those of [M(N{SiMe3}(2))(3)] to identify the effect of the labile NHC group on the small molecule activation chemistry. The small molecules COS and N2CPh2 have also been studied.