LANTHANUM COMPLEXES WITH THE BIS(O-METHOXYPHENYL)-PHOSPHIDE LIGAND

Complexes of La and Y with the chelating bis(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphide ligand have been prepared. Thus [Ln(NPri2)3(thf)] (thf = tetrahydrofuran) or [Ln{N(SiMe3)2}3] react with greater-than-or-equal-to 1 equivalent of bis(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphine at room temperature to yield [Ln{P(CH4OMe-o)2}3] as yellow crystalline solids. The complex [La(NPri2){P(C6H4OMe-o)2}2] can be prepared by reaction of (La(NPri2)3(thf)] with 2 equivalents of the phosphine at 0-degrees-C. The bimetallic complex [(Pri2N)2La{mu-P(C6H4OMe-o)2}2Li(thf)] has been prepared by reaction of Li[La(NPri2)4] with 2 equivalents of the phosphine, and characterised by X-ray diffraction in the solid state as its toluene solvate. Crystal data: monoclinic, space group C2/c (no. 15), a = 17.22(5), b = 14.782(7), c = 21.710(4) angstrom, beta = 104.11(2)degrees, Z = 4, final R = 0.064, R' = 0.079.