Complexes featuring lanthanide (Ln)–Si bonds represent a highly neglected research area. Herein, we report a series of open-shell LnII+ and LnIII+ complexes bearing σ-bonded silyl and base-stabilized N-heterocyclic silylene (NHSi) ligands. The reactions of the LnIII+ complexes Cp3Ln (Ln = Tm, Ho, Tb, Gd; Cp = cyclopentadienide) with the 18-crown-6 (18-cr-6)-stabilized 1,4-oligosilanyl dianion [(18-cr-6)KSi(SiMe3)2SiMe2SiMe2Si(SiMe3)2K(18-cr-6)] (1) selectively afford the corresponding metallacyclopentasilane salts [Cp2Ln({Si(SiMe3)2SiMe2}2)]−[K2(18-cr-6)2Cp]+ [Ln = Tm (2a), Ho (2b), Tb (2c), Gd (2d)]. Complexes 2a–2d represent the first examples of structurally characterized Tm, Ho, Tb, and Gd complexes featuring Ln–Si bonds. Strikingly, the analogous reaction of 1 with the lighter element analogue Cp3Ce affords the acyclic product [Cp3CeSi(SiMe3)2SiMe2SiMe2Si(SiMe3)2-Cp3Ce]2–2[K(18-cr-6)]+ (3) as the first example of a complex featuring a Ce–Si bond. In an alternative synthetic approach, the aryloxy-functionalized benzamidinato NHSi ligand Si(OC6H4-2-tBu){(NtBu)2CPh} (4a) and the alkoxy analogue Si(OtBu){(NtBu)2CPh} (4b) were reacted with Cp*2Sm(OEt2), affording, by OEt2 elimination, the corresponding silylene complexes, both featuring SmII+ centers: Cp*2Sm ← :Si(O–C6H4-2-tBu){(NtBu)2CPh} (6) and Cp*2Sm ← :Si(OtBu){(NtBu)2CPh} (5). Complexes 5 and 6 are the first four-coordinate silylene complexes of any f-block element to date. All complexes were fully characterized by spectroscopic means and by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In the series 2a–2d, a linear correlation was observed between the Ln–Si bond lengths and the covalent radii of the corresponding Ln metals. Moreover, in complexes 5 and 6, notably long Sm–Si bonds are observed, in accordance with a donor–acceptor interaction between Si and Sm [5, 3.4396(15) Å; 6, 3.3142(18) Å]. Density functional theory calculations were carried out for complexes 2a–2d, 5, and 6 to elucidate the bonding situation between the LnII+ or LnIII+ centers and Si. In particular, a decrease in the Mayer bond order (MBO) of the Ln–Si bond is observed in the series 2a–2d in moving from the lighter to the heavier lanthanides (Tm = 0.53, Ho = 0.62, Tb = 0.65, and Gd = 0.75), which might indicate decreasing covalency in the Ln–Si bond. In accordance with the long bond lengths observed experimentally in complexes 5 and 6, comparatively low MBOs were determined for both silylene complexes (5, 0.24; 6, 0.25) .

Complexes featuring lanthanide silicon bonds represent a research area still in its infancy. Herein, we report a series of Cp-free lanthanide (+II) complexes bearing σ-bonded silyl ligands. By reactions of LnI2 (Ln = Yb, Eu, Sm) either with a 1,4-oligosilanyl dianion [K-Si(SiMe3)2SiMe2SiMe2Si(SiMe3)2-K)] (1) or with 2 (Me3Si)3SiK (3) the corresponding neutral metallacyclopentasilanes ({Me2Si(Me3Si)2Si}2)Ln·(THF)4 (Ln = Yb (2a), Eu (2b), Sm (2c)), or the disilylated complexes ({Me3Si}3Si)2Ln·(THF)3 (Ln = Yb (4a), Eu (4b), Sm (4c)), were selectively obtained. Complexes 2b, 2c, 4b, and 4c represent the first examples of structurally characterized Cp-free Eu and Sm complexes with silyl ligands. In both series, a linear correlation was observed between the Ln–Si bond lengths and the covalent radii of the corresponding lanthanide metals. Density functional theory calculations were also carried out for complexes 2a–c and 4a–c to elucidate the bonding situation between the Ln(+II) centers and Si.

The reaction of the potassium 1,3-trisilanediide Me2Si[Si(Me3Si)2K]2 with SmI2 and YbI2 was found to give the respective disilylated complexes Me2Si[Si(Me3Si)2]2Sm·2THF and Me2Si[Si(Me3Si)2]2Yb·2THF. Desolvation of coordinated solvent molecules in these complexes made their handling difficult. However, using a number of functionalized silanide ligands, complexes with a diminished number or even no coordinated solvent molecules were obtained ((R3Si)2Ln(THF)x (x = 0–3)). The structures of all new lanthanide compounds were determined by X-ray single-crystal structure analysis. NMR spectroscopic analysis of some Yb–silyl complexes pointed at highly ionic interactions between the silyl ligands and the lanthanides. This bonding picture was supported by DFT calculations at the B3PW91/Basis1 level of theory. Detailed theoretical analysis of a disilylated Eu(II) complex suggests that its singly occupied molecular orbitals (SOMOs) are very close in energy to the ligand silicon lone pairs (HOMO), and SQUID magnetometry measurements of the complex showed a deviation from the expected behavior for a free Eu(II) ion, which might be due to a ligand–metal interaction.

A number of paramagnetic silylated d1 group 4 metallates were prepared by reaction of potassium tris(trimethylsilyl)silanide with group 4 metallates of the type K[Cp2MCl2] (M = Ti, Zr, Hf). The outcomes of the reactions differ for all three metals. While for the hafnium case the expected complex [Cp2Hf{Si(SiMe3)3}2]− was obtained, the analogous titanium reaction led to a product with two Si(H)(SiMe3)2 ligands. The reaction with zirconium caused the formation of a dinuclear fulvalene bridged complex. The desired [Cp2Zr{Si(SiMe3)3}2]− could be obtained by reduction of Cp2Zr{Si(SiMe3)3}2 with potassium. In related reactions of potassium tris(trimethylsilyl)silanide with some lanthanidocenes Cp3Ln (Ln = Ce, Sm, Gd, Ho, Tm) complexes of the type [Cp3Ln Si(SiMe3)3]− with either [18-crown-6·K]+ or the complex ion [18-crown-6·K·Cp·K·18-crown-6] as counterions were obtained. Due to d1 or fn electron configuration, unambiguous characterization of all obtained complexes could only be achieved by single crystal XRD diffraction analysis.

Synthesis of a number of disiloxane containing cyclo- and bicyclooligosilanes is described starting from the dipotassium 1,5-oligosiloxanylene diide derived from 1,3-bis[tris(trimethylsilyl)silyl]tetramethyldisiloxane. In addition, the use of this particular fragment as ligand for zinc and group 4 metallocene complexes was studied. Both types of compounds exhibit marked structural differences compared to related compounds containing Si-Si-Si units instead of the Si-O-Si fragment.