Synthesis, Bonding, and Reactivity of a Cerium(IV) Fluoride Complex

Oxidation of Ce­[N­(SiMe3)2]3 in the presence of PF6– or BF4– afforded isolation of CeF­[N­(SiMe3)2]3. Structural and electrochemical characterization shows that this compound is in its tetravalent oxidation state and contains a terminal fluoride ligand. Spectroscopy and density functional theory have been used to characterize the Ce–F bond as ionic, which is reinforced by an initial reactivity study that demonstrates the nucleophilicity of the fluoride ligand.