Rare Earth Metal Complexes of Bidentate Nitroxide Ligands: Synthesis and Electrochemistry

We report rare earth metal complexes with tri- and bidentate ligands including strongly electron-donating nitroxide groups. The tridentate ligand 1,3,5-tris­(2′-tert-butylhydroxylaminoaryl)­benzene (H3arene-triNOx) was complexed to cerium­(IV) in a 2:1 ligand-to-metal stoichiometry as Ce­(Harene-triNOx)2 (1). Cyclic voltammetry of this compound showed stabilization of the tetravalent cerium cation with a Ce­(IV/III) couple at E1/2 = −1.82 V versus Fc/Fc+. On the basis of the uninvolvement of the third nitroxide group in the coordination chemistry with the cerium­(IV) cation, the ligand system was redesigned toward a simpler bidentate mode, and a series of rare earth metal–arene-diNOx complexes were prepared with La­(III), Ce­(IV), Pr­(III), Tb­(III), and Y­(III), [RE­(arene-diNOx)2]− ([2–RE]−, RE = La, Pr, Y, Tb) and CeIV(arene-diNOx)2, where H2arene-diNOx = 1,3-bis­(2′-tert-butylhydroxylaminoaryl)­benzene. The core structures were isostructural throughout the series, with three nitroxide groups in η2 binding modes and one κ1 nitroxide group coordinated to the metal center in the solid state. In all cases except CeIV(arene-diNOx)2, electrochemical analysis described two subsequent, ligand-based, quasi-reversible redox waves, indicating that a stable [N–O•] group was generated on the electrochemical time scale. Chemical oxidation of the terbium complex was performed, and isolation of the resulting complex, Tb­(arene-diNOx)2·CH2Cl2 (3·CH2Cl2), confirmed the assignment of the cyclic voltammograms. Magnetic data showed no evidence of mixing between the Tb­(III) states and the states of the open-shell ligand.