Revisiting the Chemistry of the Actinocenes [(η8-C8H8)2An] (An = U, Th) with Neutral Lewis Bases. Access to the Bent Sandwich Complexes [(η8-C8H8)2An(L)] with Thorium (L = py, 4,4′-bipy, tBuNC, R4phen)

In stark contrast to uranocene, (Cot)(2)Th reacts with neutral mono- or bidentate Lewis bases to give the bent sandwich complexes (Cot)(2)Th(L) (L = py, 4,4'-bipy, tBuNC, phen, Me(4)phen). DFT calculations in the gas phase show that, for both U and Th, formation of the bent compound (Cot)(2)An(L) should be facile, the linear and bent forms being close in energy.