(μ‐1,2‐Dimethoxyethane‐κ2O:O′)bis[(1,2‐dimethoxyethane‐κ2O,O′)tris(1,1,1,5,5,5‐hexafluoro‐4‐oxopent‐2‐en‐2‐olato‐κ2O,O′)cerium(III)]

A previous analysis Fatila et al. (2012). Dalton Trans. 41 , 1352–1362] of the title complex, Ce₂(C₅HF₆O₂)₆(C₄H₁₀O₂)₃], had identified it as Ce(hfac)₃(dme)_1.5 according to the ¹H NMR integration hfac = 1,1,1,5,5,5‐hexafluoroacetylacetonate (1,1,1,5,5,5‐hexafluoro‐4‐oxopent‐2‐en‐2‐olate) and dme = 1,2‐dimethoxyethane]; however, it was not possible to determine the coordination environment unambiguously. The structural data presented here reveal that the complex is a binuclear species located on a crystallographic inversion center. Each Ce^III ion is coordinated to three hfac ligands, one bidentate dme ligand and one monodentate (bridging) dme ligand, thus giving a coordination number of nine (CN = 9) to each Ce^III ion. The atoms of the bridging dme ligand are unequally disordered over two sets of sites. In addition, in two of the –CF₃ groups, the F atoms are rotationally disordered over two sets of sites. This is the first crystal structure of a binuclear lanthanide β‐diketonate with a bridging dme ligand.