Lanthanide halides salts, structure

Lanthanide halides, nitrates and triflates are not only common reagents in organic synthesis (Fig. 1) but also represent, in dehydrated form, key precursor compounds for the more reactive organometallics (Scheme 2). As a rule, in compounds of strong monobasic acids or even superacids, cation solvation competes with anion complexation, which is revealed by fully or partially separated anions and solvated cations in their solid state structures. The tendency to form outer sphere complexation in coordinating solvents [47] is used as a criterion of the reactivity of inorganic salt precursors in organometallic transformations. 

The lanthanide phthalocyanine complexes, obtained by conventional methods starting from metal salts at 170-290°C and phthalonitrile (Example 26), contain one or two macrocycles for each metal atom [5,6,8,63,82,84-98]. Thus, according to Refs. 6,63, and 85, the complexes having compositions LnPc2H, XLnPc (X- is halide anion), and Ln2Pc3 (a super-complex ) were prepared from phthalonitrile as a precursor the ratio of the reaction products depends on the synthesis conditions and the metal nature. The ionic structure Nd(Pc)+Nd(Pc)2 was suggested [85] and refuted [63] for the neodymium super-complex Nd2Pc3 the covalent character of the donor-acceptor bonds in this compound and other lanthanide triple-decker phthalocyanines was proved by the study of dissociation conditions of these compounds [63]. 

Zhang, J.G, Yao, H.S., Zhang, Y. et al. (2008) Lanthanide carbene halides through protonolysis of Ln-N bonds by imidazolium salts synthesis and structure of salicylaldiminato-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene lanthanide bromides. Organometallics, 27, 2672. 

All four scandium(III) halides are known, all but the fluoride (WO3 structure) having the FeCR structure. They can be obtained as white solids directly from the elements and in some cases by dehydration of the hydrated salts, as well as by thermal decomposition of (NH4)3ScXe (X = Cl, Br), a method also used for the lanthanides. Gas-phase studies have identified isolated planar Scp3 molecules at 1750 K ScCR molecules with a very slight pyramidal distortion and both monomers and dimers in Scis vapour at 1050 K. 

RXH. The hydride halides RXH of the divalent rare earth metals have been known for a long time. All of them, EuXH, YbXH with X = Cl, Br, 1, and SmBrH (Beck and Limmer 1982) crystallize in the PbFCl-type structure, which is also adopted by the hydride halides of the alkaline earth metals MXH (Ehrlich et al. 1956), by the mixed halides RXX of divalent lanthanides, and many oxyhalides ROX of the trivalent metals. The colorless compounds RXH of R = Sm, Eu, Yb therefore have to be addressed as normal salts. The hydrogen content of these compounds is strictly stoichiometric. 

Comparable recent detailed reviews of the actinide halides could not be found. The structures of actinide fluorides, both binary fluorides and combinations of these with main-group elements with emphasis on lattice parameters and coordination poly-hedra, were reviewed by Penneman et al. (1973). The chemical thermodynamics of actinide binary halides, oxide halides, and alkali-metal mixed salts were reviewed by Fuger et al. (1983), and while the preparation of high-purity actinide metals and compounds was discussed by Muller and Spirlet (1985), actinide-halide compounds were hardly mentioned. Raman and absorption spectroscopy of actinide tri- and tetrahalides are discussed in a review by Wilmarth and Peterson (1991). Actinide halides, reviewed by element, are considered in detail in the two volume treatise by Katzet al. (1986). The thermochemical and oxidation-reduction properties of lanthanides and actinides are discussed elsewhere in this volume [in the chapter by Morss (ch. 122)]. 

Studies on OCH(CF3)2, OCMe(CF3)2, OCMc2(CF3), and 0C(CF3)3 derivatives of the alkali metds, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, and the lanthanide elements are reviewed, with emphasis on work reported since 1988. Alkali and alkaline earth fluoroalkoxides are generally made from reaction between the alcohol and the metal, its hydride, or organometallics. Most syntheses of transition metal derivatives involve reaction between metal halides and alkali or alkaline earth salts, or the alcoholysis of metal alkyls, alkoxides and amides. Coordination between organic fluorine and electropositive metals (ie. Na, Ba, Tl, Pr) is often observed in the crystal structures of these fluoroalkoxides and may be related to their use as chemical vapor dqx)sition precursors for metal fluorides. 

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