Synthesis of cationic lanthanoid tetraphenylborate crown ether complexes

The efficacy of Me3NHBPh4 as a protolytic agent in the generation of reactive lanthanoid cations has been further explored. Reaction of [Nd(BH4)3(thf)4] with Me3NHBPh4 in a 1:3 mole ratio and dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6) in thf did not yield [Nd(thf)n][BPh4]3, but [Nd(BH4)2(DB18C6)][BPh4]⋅2THF (1), a complex primed for further functionalisation was isolated. The structure has an eight coordinate Nd atom with two trans tridentate BH4− ligands. Redox transmetallation/protolysis (RTP) reactions between Yb metal, PhHgC6F5, and Me3NHBPh4 in the presence of 18-crown-6 (18C6) or DB18C6 in MeCN or in thf followed by work up with MeCN yields [Yb(CE)(MeCN)3][BPh4]2⋅nMeCN (CE = 18C6, n = 0 (2), and DB18C6 n = 3 (3)), the structures of which have nine coordinate Yb atoms. Two pairs of MeCN ligands are transoid, whereas the third pair have a small cis N-Yb-N angle. In the absence of a crown ether ligand, the RTP reaction in MeCN yields the known [Yb(MeCN)8] [BPh4]2.