The utility of N-methylimidazole and acetonitrile as solvents for the direct reaction of europium with alcohols including the first example of acetonitrile as a μ-η1:η1-bridging ligand

N-Methylimidazole and acetonitrile are suitable solvents for the direct reactions of europium metal with 2,6-Me2C6H3OH and 2,6-Pri2C6H3OH, which lead to crystallographically characterizable (N-methylimidazole)3Eu(µ-OC6H3Me2-2,6)3Eu(N-methylimidazole)2(OC6H3Me2-2,6) 1 and [(MeCN)2(2,6-Pri2C6H3O)Eu]2(µ-OC6H3Me2-2,6)2(µ-NCMe) 2, a complex which contains a µ-η1-acetonitrile ligand.