Pentamethylcyclopentadienyl Complexes of Cerium(IV): Synthesis, Reactivity, and Electrochemistry.

Treatment of Cp*2CeCl2K(THF) with alkali-metal alkoxides and siloxides in the presence of hexachloroethane generates the monomeric bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) cerium(IV) complexes Cp*2Ce(OR)2 (Cp* = C5Me5; R = Et, iPr, CH2tBu, tBu, SiMe3, or SiPh3). Large substituents R trigger ligand scrambling to half-sandwich complexes Cp*Ce(OR)3, which could be isolated for R = tBu and SiPh3. Similar reactions with sodium aryloxide NaOAr (OAr = OC6H3iPr2-2,6) led to Cp*2Ce(OAr)Cl. Treatment of tris(cyclopentadienyl) complexes CpR3CeCl (CpH = Cp = C5H5; CpMe = C5H4Me) with NaOAr afforded CpMe2Ce(OAr)2 and Cp3Ce(OAr). The cerium(IV) complexes display a pseudotetrahedral geometry in the solid state. Cyclic voltammetry revealed mostly chemically reversible as well as electrochemically quasi-reversible redox processes with potentials ranging from -0.84 to -1.61 V versus Fc/Fc+. Switching from sandwich to half-sandwich complexes decreased the electrochemical potentials drastically, showing better stabilization of the cerium(IV) center in the case of Cp*Ce(OR)3 than in the case of Cp*2Ce(OR)2. Enhanced stabilization of the cerium +IV oxidation state could be further demonstrated in the series alkoxy > siloxy > aryloxy as well as C5Me5 > C5HMe4.