Rare Earth Metal Complexes of Bidentate Nitroxide Ligands: Synthesis and Electrochemistry.

We report rare earth metal complexes with tri- and bidentate ligands including strongly electron-donating nitroxide groups. The tridentate ligand 1,3,5-tris(2'-tert-butylhydroxylaminoaryl)benzene (H3arene-triNOx) was complexed to cerium(IV) in a 2:1 ligand-to-metal stoichiometry as Ce(Harene-triNOx)2 (1). Cyclic voltammetry of this compound showed stabilization of the tetravalent cerium cation with a Ce(IV/III) couple at E1/2 = -1.82 V versus Fc/Fc(+). On the basis of the uninvolvement of the third nitroxide group in the coordination chemistry with the cerium(IV) cation, the ligand system was redesigned toward a simpler bidentate mode, and a series of rare earth metal-arene-diNOx complexes were prepared with La(III), Ce(IV), Pr(III), Tb(III), and Y(III), [RE(arene-diNOx)2](-) ([2-RE](-), RE = La, Pr, Y, Tb) and Ce(IV)(arene-diNOx)2, where H2arene-diNOx = 1,3-bis(2'-tert-butylhydroxylaminoaryl)benzene. The core structures were isostructural throughout the series, with three nitroxide groups in η(2) binding modes and one κ(1) nitroxide group coordinated to the metal center in the solid state. In all cases except Ce(IV)(arene-diNOx)2, electrochemical analysis described two subsequent, ligand-based, quasi-reversible redox waves, indicating that a stable [N-O•] group was generated on the electrochemical time scale. Chemical oxidation of the terbium complex was performed, and isolation of the resulting complex, Tb(arene-diNOx)2·CH2Cl2 (3·CH2Cl2), confirmed the assignment of the cyclic voltammograms. Magnetic data showed no evidence of mixing between the Tb(III) states and the states of the open-shell ligand.

Bidentate nitroxide ligands stable toward oxidative redox cycling and their complexes with cerium and lanthanum.

We report the synthesis of 1,3-bis[(2'-tertbutyl)hydroxyaminophenyl]benzene (H2arene-diNOx) and its metal complexes, Ce(arene-diNOx)2 (1) and [(py)2K(18-crown-6)][La(arene-diNOx)2] (2). Electrochemical studies demonstrated that the H2arene-diNOx, bidentate nitroxide ligands significantly stabilized the Ce(IV/III) redox couple to −1.74 V versus Fc/Fc(+). Moreover, a reversible oxidation wave was observed for 1 at −0.37 V, leading to a novel, stable redox-active nitroxide ligand. DFT calculations confirmed that the observed oxidation is assignable to one of the nitroxide groups.

Stabilization of MIV = Ti, Zr, Hf, Ce, and Th using a selenium bis(phenolate) ligand.

We report M(iv) M = Ti, Zr, Hf, Ce, and Th, complexes of a selenium bis(phenolate) ligand, 2,2'-selenobis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenol), (H(2)(Ar)OSeO), 1. Reaction of Ti(NEt(2))(4) with two equivalents of affords Ti((Ar)OSeO)(2), 2. Salt metathesis of ZrCl(4) and HfCl(4) with two equivalents of Na(2)(Ar)OSeO produces Zr((Ar)OSeO)(2)(THF), 3, and Hf((Ar)OSeO)(2)(THF), 4, respectively. Protonolysis of ThCl[N(SiMe(3))(2)](3) with two equivalents of yields Th((Ar)OSeO)(2)(THF)(2), 5. Salt metathesis of Ce(OTf)(3) and two equivalents of Na(2)(Ar)OSeO produces [Na(THF)(3)][Ce((Ar)OSeO)(2)], which was oxidized in situ using 0.5 equivalents of I(2) to yield the diamagnetic Ce(iv) product, Ce((Ar)OSeO)(2)(THF)(2), 6. Addition of 2,2'-bipyridyl to forms Ce((Ar)OSeO)(2)(bipy), 6a. Each diamagnetic complex was characterized using (1)H, (13)C, and (77)Se NMR and IR spectroscopy and the structures of 2-6a were established with X-ray crystallography. Electrochemical measurements using cyclic voltammetry on complexes 2, 5, and 6a re also reported.

Structural and magnetic conformation of a cerocene [Ce(COT'')2]- exhibiting a uniconfigurational f1 ground state and slow-magnetic relaxation.

Magnet-like behaviour, in the form of slow relaxation of the magnetization, was observed for a monometallic cerium(III) sandwich complex. The use of trimethylsilyl substituted COT ligands (COT'') led to the formation of a staggered COT'' arrangement in the cerocene-type sandwich complex with a well-defined oxidation state of +3 for the Ce ion.