Synthesis and Structure Diversity of Half-Sandwich Rare Earth Dialkynyl Complexes

Half-sandwich rare-earth dialkynyl complexes are of much interest in both structure and reactivity but have remained much underexplored to date. Here we report the synthesis and transformation of a new family of half-sandwich dialkynyl complexes bearing the C5Me4SiMe3 ligand, which exhibited diverse structural features depending on metal ion size, alkyne substituent and with or without THF coordination. The acid-base reactions between half-sandwich rare earth dialkyl complexes (C5Me4SiMe3)Ln(CH2SiMe3)(2)(THF) (Ln=Sc, Y, Lu) and two equivalents of terminal alkynes such as phenylacetylene and trimethylsilylacetylene in THF generally gave the corresponding THF-coordinated monomeric rare earth dialkynyl complexes, which upon recrystallization from toluene yielded further aggregated alkynyl complexes with partial or full dissociation of the THF ligands. In the case of phenylacetylene, trimeric yttrium and lutetium hexaalkynyl complexes were formed, in which each pair of the metal atoms was bridged by two alkynyl ligands in solid state but the alkynyl ligands underwent rapid site exchange in toluene solution. In the case of trimethylsilylacetylene with yttrium and lutetium, dimeric tetraalkynyl complexes bearing two terminal and two bridging alkynyl ligands were obtained from toluene. In contrast, recrystallization of the scandium trimethylsilylacetylide complex from toluene induced alkynyl coupling and yielded dimeric scandium complex with one butatrienediyl and two alkynyl bridging ligands. Upon dissolution in THF, all the aggregated alkynyl/butatrienediyl complexes were rapidly reconverted to the monomeric dialkynyl complexes as a result of THF coordination to the rare earth metal atoms.

Automated summary

The synthesis and transformation of a new family of half-sandwich dialkynyl complexes have been reported, showing diverse structural features depending on metal ion size, alkyne substituent, and presence of THF coordination. Acid-base reactions between half-sandwich rare earth dialkyl complexes and terminal alkynes generally produced monomeric rare earth dialkynyl complexes with THF coordination, which could further aggregate upon recrystallization.