Anhydrous lanthanide Schiff base complexes and their preparation using lanthanide triflate derived amides

The complex bis-5,5 '-(1,3-propanediyldiimino)-2,2-dimethyl-4-hexen-3-onato samarium bis(trimethylsilyl)amido is a solvent- and halide-free anhydrous, monomeric lanthanide Schiff base complex. It was synthesized from triflate-derived homoleptic Sm[N(TMS)(2)](3) and isolated in excellent yields and analytical purity. For larger rare earths, only dimers were observed using analogous reaction pathways.