Syntheses, Structures, and Catalytic Activities of the Anionic Heterobimetallic Rare-Earth Metal Complexes Supported by Pyrrolyl-Substituted 1,2-Diimino Ligands.

A series of the anionic heterobimetallic rare-earth metal complexes supported by trans- or chiral pyrrolyl-substituted 1,2-diimino ligands were synthesized in good yields via reactions of [(MeSi)N]RE(μ-Cl)Li(THF) with the corresponding 1,2-diimino proligands. Reactions of [(MeSi)N]RE(μ-Cl)Li(THF) with 2 equiv of trans-1,2-bis(pyrrol-2-ylmethylene)-1,2-diphenylethanediamine (HL) afforded the discrete ion-pair rare-earth metal complexes [Li(THF)][(L)RE] (RE = Sm(5), Dy(6), Er(7)). Reactions of [(MeSi)N]RE(μ-Cl)Li(THF) with 2 equiv of ( R, R)-1,2-bis(pyrrol-2-ylmethylene)-1,2-diphenylethanediamine (HL) gave the heterobimetallic rare-earth metal complexes (L)RELi(THF) (RE = Sm(8), Y(9)). When the rare-earth metal is Er, the chiral linear rare-earth coordination polymer {(L)ErLi} (10) was obtained. Reactions of [(MeSi)N]RE(μ-Cl)Li(THF) with 2 equiv of trans-1,2-bis(pyrrol-2-ylmethyleneamino)cyclohexane (HL) gave the heterobimetallic rare-earth metal complexes (L)RELi(THF) (RE = Pr (11), Sm(12), Eu(13)). Reactions of [(MeSi)N]RE(μ-Cl)Li(THF) with 2 equiv of ( R, R)-1,2-bis(pyrrol-2-ylmethyleneamino)cyclohexane (HL) also gave the heterobimetallic rare-earth metal complexes (L)RELi(THF) (Ln = Pr(14), Sm(15)). All complexes were characterized by spectroscopic methods and elemental analyses, and complexes 5-11, 13, and 14 were further determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The catalytic properties of racemic rare-earth metal complexes on cyanosilylation of ketones were examined, and results showed that the above complexes could effectively catalyze the cyanosilylation of ketones. Chiral rare-earth metal complexes as catalysts for the enantioselective epoxidation of α,β-unsaturated ketones were also examined to afford the chiral epoxides in high yields with moderate enantioselectivities.