Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Lanthanide Amides Stabilized by an <i>N</i>‐Aryloxo Functionalized <i>β</i>‐Ketoiminate Ligand

Abstract

Abstract The synthesis and characterization of dimeric lanthanide amides stabilized by a dianionic N ‐aryloxo functionalized β ‐ketoiminate ligand are described in this paper. Reactions of 4‐(2‐hydroxy‐5‐ tert ‐butyl‐phenyl)imino‐2‐pentanone (LH 2 ) with Ln[N(SiMe 3 ) 2 ] 3 (µ‐Cl)Li(THF) 3 in a 1:1 molar ratio in THF gave the dimeric lanthanide amido complexes [LLn{N(SiMe 3 ) 2 }(THF)] 2 [Ln=Nd ( 1 ), Sm ( 2 ), Yb ( 3 ), Y ( 4 )] in good isolated yields. These complexes were characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and 1 H NMR spectroscopy in the case of complex 4 . The definitive molecular structures of complexes 1 , 3 , and 4 were determined. It was found that complexes 1 to 4 can initiate the ring‐opening polymerization of L ‐lactide.