Isotypical N,N-dialkylcarbamato lanthanide complexes covering a range of 11 atomic numbers: direct experimental assessment of the lanthanide contraction in trivalent molecular compounds

The N,N-diisopropylcarbamato complexes of lanthanides(III) from neodymium (Z = 60) to ytterbium (Z = 70) were found to be isotypical, with Ln–O distances decreasing steadily with increasing Z, the lanthanide contraction in this series of molecular complexes being provisionally assigned to an increasing bond strength with increasing atomic number of the central metal atom.