Reduction of hexaazatrinaphthylenes by divalent lanthanocenes leads to ligand-based multiconfigurational properties.

Reduction of hexaazatrinaphthylene (HAN) and its hexamethyl derivative with [Cp*Sm(THF)] or [Cp*Yb(OEt)] produces [(Cp*Ln)(RHAN)] (Ln = Sm, Yb; R = H, Me), where the heterocyclic ligand forms as a trianion. The magnetism and electronic structure of these compounds reflect unusual multiconfigurational character within the reduced ligand but not the lanthanide ions.