Tris(eta4-naphthalene)- and tris(1-4-eta4-anthracene)tantalate(1-): first homoleptic arene complexes of anionic tantalum.

Reduction of tantalum pentachloride by 6 equiv of sodium naphthalene in 1,2-dimethoxyethane provided, after recrystallization from tetrahydrofuran, 50-55% yields of yellow, pyrophoric [Na(THF)][Ta(C10H8)3]. The product was shown by 1H and 13C NMR spectra and an X-ray study (on the corresponding [Na(crypt 2.2.

Syntheses and Properties of Homoleptic Carbonyl and Trifluorophosphane Niobates: [Nb(CO)(6)](-), [Nb(PF(3))(6)](-) and [Nb(CO)(5)](3)(-) (,)(1).

Reductive carbonylations of NbCl(4)(THF)(2), THF = tetrahydrofuran, mediated by sodium naphthalene in 1,2-dimethoxyethane, DME, or sodium anthracene in THF, provide [Nb(CO)(6)](-) as the tetraethylammonium salt in 60% or 70% isolated yields, respectively, the highest known for atmospheric pressure syntheses of this metal carbonyl. Corresponding reductions involving PF(3) give about 40% yields of [Et(4)N][Nb(PF(3))(6)], which in the past was only accessible by a photochemical route. Electrochemical data for [Nb(CO)(6)](-) and [Nb(PF(3))(6)](-) are compared and show that the PF(3) complex is almost 1 V more difficult to oxidize than the CO analogue.