Synthesis and Structure of a Samarium Complex with Perylene

The potassium salt of the perylene ligand used as a precursor in further transformations was obtained by the reduction of perylene with potassium metal in DME or THF. The perylene ligand was transferred to a samarium metal center using a metathesis strategy, yielding a complex SmI(Per)(THF)4. In the resulting compound, samarium remains divalent, while perylene is in the form of a radical anion, which is confirmed by spectroscopic methods and quantum chemical calculations.