Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of a Hydrido- and Imido-Bridged Dinuclear Ytterbium(III) Complex.

The trivalent rare-earth metal hydrido and imido complexes are of versatile reactivity, and many such complexes have been synthesized. However, no example of a rare-earth metal complex bearing both hydrido- and imido-ligands has been reported. Herein, we report the first rare-earth metal complex bearing both hydrido- and imido-ligands, namely a hydrido- and imido-bridged dinuclear ytterbium(III) complex. The complex was synthesized via an unprecedented redox reaction of divalent rare-earth metal hydrido complex with azido compound. DFT calculation indicated that the N 2 release from azido compound in the presence of ytterbium(II) is a kinetically facile process because of the cooperative effects of the two metal centers. The reactivity of the hydrido- and imido-bridged dinuclear ytterbium(III) complex was also explored, which showed the redox, addition and σ-bond metathesis reactivities.