Salen‐Based Coordination Polymers of Manganese and the Rare‐Earth Elements: Synthesis and Catalytic Aerobic Epoxidation of Olefins

Treatment of N,N′‐bis(4carboxysalicylidene)ethylenediamine (H₄L), with MnCl₂ ? (H₂O)₄, and Ln(NO₃)₃ ? (H₂O)_m (Ln=Nd, Eu, Gd, Dy, Tb), in the presence of N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF)/pyridine at elevated temperature resulted (after work up) in the formation of 1D coordination polymers {[Ln₂(MnLCl)₂(NO₃)₂(dmf)₅] ? 4 DMF}_n ( 1 – 5 ). In these coordination polymers the rare earth ions are connected through carboxylate groups from Mn–salen units in a 1D chain structure. Thus, the Mn–salen complex acts as a “metalloligand” with open coordination sites. All compounds were used as catalysts in the liquid‐phase epoxidation of trans‐stilbene with molecular oxygen, which resulted in the formation of stilbene oxide. Since the choice of the lanthanide had virtually no influence on the performance of the catalyst, only the manganese–gadolinium was studied in detail. The influence of solvent, catalyst concentration, reaction temperature, oxidant, and oxidant flow rate on conversion, yield, and selectivity was analyzed. A conversion of up to 70 %, the formation of 61 % stilbene oxide (88 % selectivity), and a TON of 84 were observed after 24 h. A hot filtration test confirmed that the reaction is mainly catalyzed through a heterogeneous pathway, although a minor contribution of homogeneous species could not be completely excluded. The catalyst could be reused without significant loss of activity.     

Formation and Reactivity of an Aluminabenzene Ligand at Pentadienyl‐Supported Rare‐Earth Metals

The half‐open rare‐earth‐metal aluminabenzene complexes [(1‐Me‐3,5‐tBu₂‐C₅H₃Al)(μ‐Me)Ln(2,4‐dtbp)] (Ln=Y, Lu) are accessible via a salt metathesis reaction employing Ln(AlMe₄)₃ and K(2,4‐dtbp). Treatment of the yttrium complex with B(C₆F₅)₃ and tBuCCH gives access to the pentafluorophenylalane complex [{1‐(C₆F₅)‐3,5‐tBu₂‐C₅H₃Al}{μ‐C₆F₅}Y{2,4‐dtbp}] and the mixed vinyl acetylide complex [(2,4‐dtbp)Y(μ‐η¹:η³‐2,4‐tBu₂‐C₅H₄)(μ‐CCtBu)AlMe₂], respectively.     

Dimeric Rare‐Earth BINOLate Complexes: Activation of 1,4‐Benzoquinone through Lewis Acid Promoted Potential Shifts

Reaction of p‐benzoquinone (BQ) with a series of rare‐earth metal/alkali metal/1,1′‐BINOLate (REMB) complexes (RE: La, Ce, Pr, Nd; M: Li) results in the largest recorded shift in reduction potential observed for BQ upon complexation. In the case of cerium, the formation of a 2:1 Ce/BQ complex shifts the two‐electron reduction of BQ by greater than or equal to 1.6 V to a more favorable potential. Reactivity investigations were extended to other RE^III (RE=La, Pr, Nd) complexes where the resulting highly electron‐deficient quinone ligands afforded isolation of the first lanthanide quinhydrone‐type charge‐transfer complexes. The large reduction‐potential shift associated with the formation of 2:1 Ce/BQ complexes illustrate the potential of Ce complexes to function both as a Lewis acid and an electron source in redox chemistry and organic‐substrate activation.     

Rare‐Earth‐Metal Methylidene Complexes

Transition‐metal carbene complexes have been known for about 50 years and widely applied as reagents and catalysts in organic transformations. In contrast, the carbene chemistry of the rare‐earth metals is much less developed, but has attracted the research interest in the recent years. In this field rare‐earth‐metal alkylidene, especially methylidene, compounds are an emerging class of compounds with a high synthetic potential for organometallic chemistry and maybe in the future also for organic chemistry.     

Molecular Rare‐Earth‐Metal Hydrides in Non‐Cyclopentadienyl Environments

Molecular hydrides of the rare‐earth metals play an important role as homogeneous catalysts and as counterparts of solid‐state interstitial hydrides. Structurally well‐characterized non‐metallocene‐type hydride complexes allow the study of elementary reactions that occur at rare‐earth‐metal centers and of catalytic reactions involving bonds between rare‐earth metals and hydrides. In addition to neutral hydrides, cationic derivatives have now become available.     

Sandwich,Triple-Decker and Other Sandwich-like Complexes of Cyclopentadienyl Anions with Lithium or Sodium Cations

Density functional theory, DFT, calculations were carried out on complexes containing cyclopentadienyl anions and lithium or sodium cations; half-sandwich, sandwich and sandwich-like complexes (among them triple-decker ones) are analyzed. Searches performed through the Cambridge Structural Database revealed that crystal structures containing these motifs exist, mostly structures with sodium cations. The DFT calculations performed here include geometry optimization and frequency calculations of the complexes at the ωB97XD/aug-cc-pVTZ level, followed by the partitioning of the energy of interaction via the Energy Decomposition Analysis scheme, EDA, at the BP86-D3/TZ2P level. Additional calculations and analyses were performed using both the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules, QTAIM, and the Natural Bond Orbital analyses, NBO. The results of this work show that the electrostatic interaction energy is the most important attractive contribution to the total interaction energy of each of the complex systems analyzed here, and that complexation itself leads to minor electron charge shifts.     

Rare‐Earth‐Metal Dialkynyl Dimethyl Aluminates

A new class of rare‐earth‐metal alkynyl complexes has been prepared. The reactions of the tris(tetramethylaluminate)s of lanthanum, praseodymium, samarium, yttrium, holmium, and thulium, [Ln(AlMe₄)₃], with phenylacetylene afforded compounds [Ln{(μ‐C?CPh)₂AlMe₂}₃] (Ln=La ( 1 ), Pr ( 2 ), Sm ( 3 ), Y ( 4 ), Ho ( 5 ), Tm ( 6 )). All of these compounds have been characterized by NMR spectroscopy, X‐ray crystallography, and by elemental analysis. NMR spectroscopic studies of the series of para‐ magnetic compounds [Ln(AlMe₄)₃] and [Ln{(μ‐C?CPh)₂AlMe₂}₃] have also been performed.     

Rare‐Earth Oxide Nanostructures: Rules of Rare‐Earth Nitrate Thermolysis in Octadecylamine

The decomposed regularity of rare‐earth nitrates in octadecylamine (ODA) is discussed. The experimental results show that these nitrates can be divided into four types. For rare‐earth nitrates with larger RE³⁺ ions (RE=rare earth, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd), the decomposed products exhibited platelike nanostructures. For those with smaller RE³⁺ ions (RE=Y, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb), the decomposed products exhibited beltlike nanostructures. For terbium nitrate with a middle RE³⁺ ion, the decomposed product exhibited a rodlike nanostructure. The corresponding rare‐earth oxides, with the same morphologies as their precursors, could be obtained when these decomposed products were calcined. For cerium nitrate, which showed the greatest differences, flowerlike cerium oxide could be obtained directly from decomposition of the nitrate without further calcination. This regularity is explained on the basis of the lanthanide contraction. Owing to their differences in electron configuration, ionic radius, and crystal structure, such a nitrate family therefore shows different thermolysis properties. In addition, the potential application of these as‐obtained rare‐earth oxides as catalysts and luminescent materials was investigated. The advantages of this method for rare‐earth oxides includes simplicity, high yield, low cost, and ease of scale‐up, which are of great importance for their industrial applications.     

Structural Variations and Molecular Dynamics of Rare‐Earth Metal Complexes with the N,N‐Bis(2‐{pyrid‐2‐yl}ethyl)hydroxylaminato Ligand

The reaction of the donor‐functionalised N,N‐bis(2‐{pyrid‐2‐yl}ethyl)hydroxylamine and [LnCp₃] (Cp=cyclopentadiene) resulted in the formation of bis(cyclopentadienyl) hydroxylaminato rare‐earth metal complexes of the general constitution [Ln(C₅H₅)₂{ON(C₂H₄‐o‐Py)₂}] (Py= pyridyl) with Ln=Lu ( 1 ), Y ( 2 ), Ho ( 3 ), Sm ( 4 ), Nd ( 5 ), Pr ( 6 ), La ( 7 ). These compounds were characterised by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy (for compounds 1 , 2 , 4 and 7 ) and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction experiments. The complexes exhibit three different aggregation modes and binding motifs in the solid state. The late rare‐earth metal atoms (Lu, Y, Ho and Sm) form monomeric complexes of the formula [Ln(C₅H₅)₂{η²‐ON(C₂H₄‐η¹‐o‐Py)(C₂H₄‐o‐Py)}] ( 1 – 4 , respectively), in which one of the pyridyl nitrogen donor atoms is bonded to the metal atom in addition to the side‐on coordinating hydroxylaminato unit. The larger Nd³⁺ and Pr³⁺ ions in 5 and 6 make the hydroxylaminato unit capable of dimerising through the oxygen atoms. This leads to the dimeric complexes [(Ln(C₅H₅)₂{μ‐η¹:η²‐ON(C₂H₄‐o‐Py)₂})₂] without metal–pyridine bonds. Compound 7 exhibits a dimeric coordination mode similar to the complexes 5 and 6 , but, in addition, two pyridyl functions coordinate to the lanthanum atoms leading to the [(La(C₅H₅)₂{ON(C₂H₄‐o‐Py)}{μ‐η¹:η²‐ON(C₂H₄‐η¹‐o‐Py)})₂] complex. The aggregation trend is directly related to the size of the metal ions. The complexes with coordinative pyridine–metal bonds show highly dynamic behaviour in solution. The two pyridine nitrogen atoms rapidly change their coordination to the metal atom at ambient temperature. Variable‐temperature (VT) NMR experiments showed that this dynamic exchange can be frozen on the NMR timescale.     

Cationic Allyl Complexes of the Rare‐Earth Metals: Synthesis,Structural Characterization,and 1,3‐Butadiene Polymerization Catalysis

Monocationic bis‐allyl complexes [Ln(η³‐C₃H₅)₂(thf)₃]⁺[B(C₆X₅)₄]^? (Ln=Y, La, Nd; X=H, F) and dicationic mono‐allyl complexes of yttrium and the early lanthanides [Ln(η³‐C₃H₅)(thf)₆]²⁺[BPh₄]₂^? (Ln=La, Nd) were prepared by protonolysis of the tris‐allyl complexes [Ln(η³‐C₃H₅)₃(diox)] (Ln=Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm; diox=1,4‐dioxane) isolated as a 1,4‐dioxane‐bridged dimer (Ln=Ce) or THF adducts [Ln(η³‐C₃H₅)₃(thf)₂] (Ln=Ce, Pr). Allyl abstraction from the neutral tris‐allyl complex by a Lewis acid, ER₃ (Al(CH₂SiMe₃)₃, BPh₃) gave the ion pair [Ln(η³‐C₃H₅)₂(thf)₃]⁺[ER₃(η¹‐CH₂CH?CH₂)]^? (Ln=Y, La; ER₃=Al(CH₂SiMe₃)₃, BPh₃). Benzophenone inserts into the La? C_allyl bond of [La(η³‐C₃H₅)₂(thf)₃]⁺[BPh₄]^? to form the alkoxy complex [La{OCPh₂(CH₂CH?CH₂)}₂(thf)₃]⁺[BPh₄]^?. The monocationic half‐sandwich complexes [Ln(η⁵‐C₅Me₄SiMe₃)(η³‐C₃H₅)(thf)₂]⁺[B(C₆X₅)₄]^? (Ln=Y, La; X=H, F) were synthesized from the neutral precursors [Ln(η⁵‐C₅Me₄SiMe₃)(η³‐C₃H₅)₂(thf)] by protonolysis. For 1,3‐butadiene polymerization catalysis, the yttrium‐based systems were more active than the corresponding lanthanum or neodymium homologues, giving polybutadiene with approximately 90 % 1,4‐cis stereoselectivity.     

Photochemical substitution of benzene in the iron cyclohexadienyl complex [(η<Superscript>5</Superscript>-C<Subscript>6</Subscript>H<Subscript>7</Subscript>)Fe(η-C<Subscript>6</Subscript>H<Subscript>6</Subscript>)]<Superscript>+</Superscript>

The visible light irradiation of the [(η⁵-C₆H₇)Fe(η-C₆H₆)]⁺ cation (1) in acetonitrile resulted in the substitution of the benzene ligand to form the labile acetonitrile species [(η⁵-C₆H₇)Fe(MeCN)₃]⁺ (2). The reaction of 1 with Bu^tNC in MeCN produced the stable isonitrile complex [(η⁵-C₆H₇)Fe(Bu^tNC)₃]⁺ (3). The photochemical reaction of cation 1 with pentaphosphaferrocene Cp*Fe(η-cyclo-P₅) afforded the triple-decker cation with the bridging pentaphospholyl ligand, [(η⁵-C₆H₇)Fe(μ-η:η-cyclo-P₅)FeCp*]⁺ (4). The latter complex was also synthesized by the reaction of cation 2 with Cp*Fe(η-cyclo-P₅). The structure of the complex [3]PF₆ was established by X-ray diffraction. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2088–2091, November, 2007.     

An Operationally Simple Method for Separating the Rare‐Earth Elements Neodymium and Dysprosium

Rare‐earth metals are critical components of electronic materials and permanent magnets. Recycling of consumer materials is a promising new source of rare earths. To incentivize recycling there is a clear need for simple methods for targeted separations of mixtures of rare‐earth metal salts. Metal complexes of a tripodal nitroxide ligand [{(2‐^tBuNO)C₆H₄CH₂}₃N]^3? (TriNOx^3?), feature a size‐sensitive aperture formed of its three η²‐(N,O) ligand arms. Exposure of metal cations in the aperture induces a self‐associative equilibrium comprising [M(TriNOx)thf]/ [M(TriNOx)]₂ (M=rare‐earth metal). Differences in the equilibrium constants (K_eq) for early and late metals enables simple Nd/Dy separations through leaching with a separation ratio S_Nd/Dy=359.     

Molecular hydrides of samarium and europium LnH2(THF)2 (Ln=Sm or Eu): Synthesis and properties

The molecular hydrides Ln¹¹H₂(THF)₂ (Ln=Sm or Eu) were prepared by hydrogenolysis of the naphthalene complexes of divalent samarium and europium C₁₀H₈Ln(THF)₂ (Ln=Sm or Eu, respectively) as well as of the stilbene derivative of samarium(II) (PhCHCHPh)Sm(DME)₂ in THF at room temperature under atmospheric pressure. The resulting complexes were characterized by the data of microanalysis, IR spectroscopy, and magnetic susceptibility. Chemical properties of the complexes were studied. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 947–945, May, 2000.     

Magnetic Field Directed Rare‐Earth Separations

The separation of rare‐earth ions from one another is challenging due to their chemical and physical similarities. Nearly all rare‐earth separations rely upon small changes in ionic radii to direct speciation or reactivity. Herein, we show that the intrinsic magnetic properties of the rare‐earth ions impact the separations of light/heavy and selected heavy/heavy binary mixtures. Using TriNOx^3? ([{(2‐^tBuNO)C₆H₄CH₂}₃N]^3?) rare‐earth complexes, we efficiently and selectively crystallized heavy rare earths (Tb–Yb) from a mixture with light rare earths (La and Nd) in the presence of an external Fe₁₄Nd₂B magnet, concomitant with the introduction of a concentration gradient (decrease in temperature). The optimal separation was observed for an equimolar mixture of La:Dy, which gave an enrichment factor of EF_La:Dy=297±31 for the solid fraction, compared to EF_La:Dy=159±22 in the absence of the field, and achieving a 99.7 % pure Dy sample in one step. These results indicate that the application of a magnetic field can improve performance in a molecular separation system for paramagnetic rare‐earth cations.     

Chiral Benzamidinate Ligands in Rare‐Earth‐Metal Coordination Chemistry

The treatment of the recently reported potassium salt (S)‐N,N′‐bis‐(1‐phenylethyl)benzamidinate ((S)‐KPEBA) and its racemic isomer (rac‐KPEBA) with anhydrous lanthanide trichlorides (Ln=Sm, Er, Yb, Lu) afforded mostly chiral complexes. The tris(amidinate) complex [{(S)‐PEBA}₃Sm], bis(amidinate) complexes [{Ln(PEBA)₂(μ‐Cl)}₂] (Ln=Sm, Er, Yb, Lu), and mono(amidinate) compounds [Ln(PEBA)(Cl)₂(thf)_n] (Ln=Sm, Yb, Lu) were isolated and structurally characterized. As a result of steric effects, the homoleptic 3:1 complexes of the smaller lanthanide atoms Yb and Lu were not accessible. Furthermore, chiral bis(amidinate)–amido complexes [{(S)‐PEBA}₂Ln{N(SiMe₃)₂}] (Ln=Y, Lu) were synthesized by an amine‐elimination reaction and salt metathesis. All of these chiral bis‐ and tris(amidinate) complexes had additional axial chirality and they all crystallized as diastereomerically pure compounds. By using rac‐PEBA as a ligand, an achiral meso arrangement of the ligands was observed. The catalytic activities and enantioselectivities of [{(S)‐PEBA}₂Ln{N(SiMe₃)₂}] (Ln=Y, Lu) were investigated in hydroamination/cyclization reactions. A clear dependence of the rate of reaction and enantioselectivity on the ionic radius was observed, which showed higher reaction rates but poorer enantioselectivities for the yttrium compound.     

Recent Advances in Rare‐Earth Polypnictides

The polypnictide complexes of rare earth cations have drawn the attention of the scientific community for their uncommon bonding modes and potential applications. Herein, we present a systematic and comprehensive summary on recent advances in the field of rare earth polypnictides, focusing on their synthesis, structures, and reactivities. The structural stabilizing effects imposed by the electropositive rare earth cations as well as the reducing capability of rare earth precursors in the synthesis of these polypnictide complexes are described in this review. We also disscuss in detail the bonding interactions and coordination modes between rare earth cations and polypnictide clusters as well as the similarities and the peculiarity of some structures.     

Triple-decker complexes with a central borole ligand C<Subscript>4</Subscript>H<Subscript>4</Subscript>BR

The review summarizes the results of the recent author’s research on the synthesis of triple-decker complexes with bridging borole ligand. Electrophilic stacking of sandwich compounds with [(ring)M] ⁿ⁺ (n = 1, (ring)M = (C₅R₅)Ru, (C₄Me₄)Co; n = 2, (ring)M = Cp*Co, Cp*Rh, etc.) cationic fragments were used as a general method of synthesis of the complexes. The influence of the substituent at the boron atom on the course of stacking reactions is discussed. The spectral, structural, and electrochemical properties of the complexes synthesized are also considered. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 1–7, January, 2008.     

Rare‐Earth Nanoparticles with Enhanced Upconversion Emission and Suppressed Rare‐Earth‐Ion Leakage

Upconversion emissions from rare‐earth nanoparticles have attracted much interest as potential biolabels, for which small particle size and high emission intensity are both desired. Herein we report a facile way to achieve NaYF₄:Yb,Er@CaF₂ nanoparticles (NPs) with a small size (10–13 nm) and highly enhanced (ca. 300 times) upconversion emission compared with the pristine NPs. The CaF₂ shell protects the rare‐earth ions from leaking, when the nanoparticles are exposed to buffer solution, and ensures biological safety for the potential bioprobe applications. With the upconversion emission from NaYF₄:Yb,Er@CaF₂ NPs, HeLa cells were imaged with low background interference.