Molecules containing rare-earth atoms solely bonded by transition metals

Abstract

Although metal–metal bonding is important in the chemistry of both solid-state intermetallic compounds and molecular species, the study of this bonding is limited by the compounds available and it is rarely possible to identify connections between these two areas. In this study, molecular intermetalloids [Ln(ReCp2)3] (Ln = Sm, Lu and La) have been synthesized that contain lanthanoid metals bound only to transition metals. Although they are highly reactive species, such lanthanoid-core transition-metal-shell compounds can be stable in solution. They mimic the bonding situation of intermetallic compounds, as revealed by a direct comparison of molecular and solid state lanthanoid–transition metal bonding. Although intermetallic compounds and alloys feature metal atoms bonded solely to other metal atoms, this motif is unusual in molecular compounds. Now, three compounds with lanthanide metals surrounded by transition metal atoms have been made. Although reactive, they mimic intermetallic bonding and form a conceptual link from coordination compounds.

Cite this article

Butovskii, M., Döring, C., Bezugly, V. et al. Molecules containing rare-earth atoms solely bonded by transition metals. Nature Chem 2, 741–744 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.718

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