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.