Dihydrogen Addition in a Dinuclear Rare-Earth Metal Hydride Complex Supported by a Metalated TREN Ligand

The dinuclear lutetium dihydride dication supported by metalated tripodal ligands undergoes facile hydrogenolysis with H(2) to form a trihydride dication. Molecular orbital analysis shows that the LUMO is a bonding Lu center dot center dot center dot Lu orbital that is poised to activate dihydrogen.