Theoretical Treatment of Redox Processes Involving Lanthanide(II) Compounds: Reactivity of Organosamarium(II) and Organothulium(II) Complexes with CO2 and Pyridine

A tetranuclear samarium(ii) inverse sandwich from direct reduction of toluene by a samarium(ii) siloxide

The dinuclear Sm^II complex [Sm₂L₄(dme)] (L = OSi(OtBu)₃) reacts slowly with toluene, resulting in the isolation of the triple decker arene-bridged Sm^II complex [{Sm₂L₃}₂(μ-η⁶:η⁶-C₇H₈)] in 44% yield. This reactivity provides the first example of an unambiguous arene reduction by an isolated Sm^II species.

New perspectives in organolanthanide chemistry from redox to bond metathesis: insights from theory

A fifteen year contribution of computational studies carried out in close synergy with experiments is summarized.

Theoretical treatment of one electron redox transformation of a small molecule using f-element complexes

DFT calculations can provide useful insights into low-valent f-element single electron transfer reactivity.

Controlling selectivity in the reductive activation of CO2 by mixed sandwich uranium(iii) complexes

The uranium complexes [U(η⁸-C₈H₆(1,4-SiMe₃)₂)(η⁵-Cp^Me4R)] can be tuned to selectively reduce CO₂, giving U(iv) complexes incorporating bridging oxo, carbonate, or oxalate groups.

Spontaneous reduction and C-H borylation of arenes mediated by uranium(III) disproportionation

Transition-metal-arene complexes such as bis(benzene)chromium Cr(η(6)-C(6)H(6))(2) are historically important to d-orbital bonding theory and have modern importance in organic synthesis, catalysis and organic spintronics. In investigations of f-block chemistry, however, arenes are invariably used as solvents rather than ligands. Here, we show that simple uranium complexes UX(3) (X = aryloxide, amide) spontaneously disproportionate, transferring an electron and X-ligand, allowing the resulting UX(2) to bind and reduce arenes, forming inverse sandwich molecules [X(2)U(µ-η(6):η(6)-arene)UX(2)] and a UX(4) by-product. Calculations and kinetic studies suggest a 'cooperative small-molecule activation' mechanism involving spontaneous arene reduction as an X-ligand is transferred. These mild reaction conditions allow functionalized arenes such as arylsilanes to be incorporated. The bulky UX(3) are also inert to reagents such as boranes that would react with the traditional harsh reaction conditions, allowing the development of a new in situ arene C-H bond functionalization methodology converting C-H to C-B bonds.

Insights into the mechanism of reaction of [(C5Me5)2Sm(II)(thf)2] with CO2 and COS by DFT studies

Reaction mechanisms for the oxidative reactions of CO(2) and COS with [(C(5)Me(5))(2)Sm] have been investigated by means of DFT methods. The experimental formation of oxalate and dithiocarbonate complexes is explained. Their formation involve the samarium(III) bimetallic complexes [(C(5)Me(5))(2)Sm-CO(2)-Sm(C(5)Me(5))(2)] and [(C(5)Me(5))(2)Sm-COS-Sm(C(5)Me(5))(2)] as intermediates, respectively, ruling out radical coupling for the formation of the oxalate complex.

Multielectron redox chemistry of lanthanide Schiff-base complexes

We have developed a new way to introduce redox events at lanthanide centers which should lead to further expansion of the reductive chemistry of lanthanides.