Synthesis, Characterization, and Reduction of Thorium Pyridinediimine Complexes.

A family of thorium complexes featuring the redox-noninnocent pyridinediimine ligand Mes PDI Me was synthesized, including ( Mes PDI Me )ThCl 4 ( 1-Th ), ( Mes PDI Me )ThCl 3 (THF) ( 2-Th ), ( Mes PDI Me )ThCl 2 (THF) 2 ( 3-Th ) and [( Mes PDI Me )Th(THF)] 2 ( 5-Th ) Full characterization of these species shows that these complexes feature Mes PDI Me in four different oxidation states. The electronic structures of these complexes have been explored using 1 H NMR and electronic absorption spectroscopies, X-ray crystallography, and SQUID magnetometry where appropriate.