Isolation of stable organodysprosium(II) complexes by chemical reduction of dysprosium(III) precursors

Reduction of bis(tri-tert-butylcyclopentadienyl)dysprosium(III) complexes by potassium/graphite in the presence of a crown ether afforded structurally characterized organodysprosium(II) ate complexes, a new class of divalent organolanthanide compounds. The organodysprosium(II) borohydride ate complex was oxidized by hexachloroethane into a structurally characterized organodysprosium(III) dichloride ate complex and was also shown to reductively couple diphenylacetylene.