Facile Encapsulation of Ln(II) Ions into Cryptate Complexes from LnI2(THF)2 Precursors (Ln = Sm, Eu, Yb).

The reactivity of LnI2(THF)2 (Ln = Sm, Eu, Yb; THF = tetrahydrofuran) with 2.2.2-cryptand (crypt) was explored to see if these readily accessible precursors could provide new examples of lanthanide-in-crypt complexes. The crystallographically characterized Ln(II)-in-crypt complexes [Ln(crypt)(DMF)2][I]2 (Ln = Sm, Eu) and [Yb(crypt)(DMF)][I]2 (DMF = dimethylformamide) were synthesized by reacting LnI2(THF)2 (Ln = Sm, Eu, Yb) with crypt in THF and recrystallizing from DMF. Crystallographic data were also obtained on the Ln(II)-in-crypt (Ln = Sm, Eu) complexes [Ln(crypt)(DMF)2][BPh4]2, which were synthesized by addition of 2 equiv of NaBPh4 to [Ln(crypt)(DMF)2][I]2.