Synthesis and structures of the first cationic perfluoroaryllanthanoid(II) complexes

Tetraphenylborate salts of solvated pentafluorophenyllanthanoid(II) cations Ln(C(6)F(5))(thf)(n)](+) (Ln=Eu, n=6 (1); Ln=Yb, n=5 (2)) were readily synthesized in high yield by reactions of ytterbium or europium with HgPh(C(6)F(5)) and Me(3)NHBPh(4) in THF. The structures of 1.THF and 2 confirmed the existence of well-separated ions and both 1 and 2 show notable thermal stability at room temperature. The cation in 2 was also observed in the remarkable mixed-valent complex Yb(II)(C(6)F(5))(thf)(5)]Yb(III)(C(6)F(5))(2)N(SiMe(3))(2)](2)] (3), fortuitously isolated in low yield from a reaction of ytterbium metal, HgPh(C(6)F(5)), and HN(SiMe(3))(2) in THF, and which additionally has an unusual bis(pentafluorophenyl)bisbis(trimethylsilyl)amido)]ytterbate(III) anion. (171)Yb-(19)F coupling has been observed in the low-temperature (171)Yb NMR spectra of 2 and Yb(C(6)F(5))(2)(thf)(4)].