Selective assembly of trinuclear rare-earth alkyl hydrido clusters supported by amidopyridinate Ligands

The reactions of the bis(alkyl) complexes [Ap*Ln(CH2SiMe3)(2)(thf)] (Ln = Y, Lu) with both PhSiH3 and H-2 result in selective assembly of the novel trinuclear rare-earth alkyl hydrido clusters [(Ap*Ln)(3)(mu(2)-H)(3)(mu(3)-H)(2)(CH2SiMe3)(thf)(2)]. Both cluster compounds are single-component ethylene polymerization catalysts.