New homo- and heteroleptic derivatives of trivalent ytterbium containing radical anion 1,4-diazadiene ligands. Synthesis, properties, and crystal structures of the complexes (C9H7)2Yb[2-MeC6H4NC(Me)C(Me)NC6H4Me-2] and [PhNC(Ph)C(Ph)NPh]3Yb

The interaction of the ytterbium bis(indenyl) complex (C₉H₇)₂Yb^II(THF)₂ (1) with the 1,4-diazabutadiene 2-MeC₆H₄N=C(Me)-C(Me)=NC₆H₄Me-2 (^MeDAD) is accompanied by the oxidation of the metal atom to the trivalent state and results in a paramagnetic compound of the metallocene type (C₉H₇)₂Yb^III(^MeDAD^−·) (3) containing the radical anion of 1,4-diazabutadiene. The structure of the complex 3 was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The reactions of the bis(indenyl) (1) and bis(fluorenyl) (C₁₃H₉)₂Yb^II(THF)₂ (2) derivatives of divalent ytterbium with the 1,4-diazabutadiene PhN=C(Ph)-C(Ph)=NPh (^PhDAD) (with the molar ratio of the reactants 1:2) proceed with a complete cleavage of the bonds Yb-C and the oxidation of the ytterbium atom to the trivalent state and result in a homoligand complex (^PhDAD^−·)₃Yb (6) containing three radical anion 1,4-diazadiene ligands. Complex 6 was also obtained by an exchange reaction of YbCl₃ with ^PhDAD^−·K⁺ (1: 3) in THF. Complex 6 was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis.