Physicochemical Properties of Near-Linear Lanthanide(II) Bis(silylamide) Complexes (Ln = Sm, Eu, Tm, Yb)

Following our report of the first near-linear lanthanide (Ln) complex, [Sm­(N††)2] (1), herein we present the synthesis of [Ln­(N††)2] [N†† = {N­(Si i Pr3)2}; Ln = Eu (2), Tm (3), Yb (4)], thus achieving approximate uniaxial geometries for a series of “traditional” LnII ions. Experimental evidence, together with calculations performed on a model of 4, indicates that dispersion forces are important for stabilization of the near-linear geometries of 1–4. The isolation of 3 under a dinitrogen atmosphere is noteworthy, given that “[Tm­(N″)­(μ-N″)]2” (N″ = {N­(SiMe3)2}) has not previously been structurally authenticated and reacts rapidly with N2(g) to give [{Tm­(N″)2}2(μ-η2:η2-N2)]. Complexes 1–4 have been characterized as appropriate by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, magnetic measurements, electrochemistry, multinuclear NMR, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and electronic spectroscopy, along with computational methods for 3 and 4. The remarkable geometries of monomeric 1–4 lead to interesting physical properties, which complement and contrast with comparatively well understood dimeric [Ln­(N″)­(μ-N″)]2 complexes. EPR spectroscopy of 3 shows that the near-linear geometry stabilizes m J states with oblate spheroid electron density distributions, validating our previous suggestions. Cyclic voltammetry experiments carried out on 1–4 did not yield LnII reduction potentials, so a reactivity study of 1 was performed with selected substrates in order to benchmark the SmIII → SmII couple. The separate reactions of 1 with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene, and benzophenone gave crystals of [Sm­(N††)2(TEMPO)] (5), [Sm­(N††)2(N2Ph2)] (6), and [Sm­(N††)­{μ-OPhC­(C6H5)­CPh2O-κO,O′}]2 (7), respectively. The isolation of 5–7 shows that the SmII center in 1 is still accessible despite having two bulky N†† moieties and that the N-donor atoms are able to deviate further from linearity or ligand scrambling occurs in order to accommodate another ligand in the SmIII coordination spheres of the products.