Lanthanide ions coordination numbers

Scandium is more like an element of the first transition series (or like aluminum) than like the rare earths. For example, it characteristically has a coordination number of 6 (6-coordinate radius, 0.89 A compared to 1.00-1.17 A for the lanthanides), although coordination numbers 8 and 9 are known. Examples of CN 8 are Na5[Sc(C03)4] -6H20 and the tropolonate, [SeT4] . There is but one example of CN 9, namely the tricapped trigonal prismatic [Sc(H20)9]3+ ion found in Sc(CF3S03)3-9H20.38 The aqua ion in solution, [Sc(H20)6]3+, is appreciably hydrolyzed and OH-bridged di- and trinuclear species are formed. 

In Table 20.7 are listed radii of trivalent actinide ions (coordination number CN 6) derived from measurements on trichlorides by the method of Bums, Peterson, and Baybarz [288]. Determinations of M-Cl distances have been made for M = U, Pu, Am, Cm, and Cf the other values were estimated by use of unitcell data and curve fitting. All these radii are relative to the trivalent lanthanide radii of Templeton and Dauben [396], who employed data from cubic sesquioxides and assumed atomic positions to establish M-O distances. Also included in Table 20.7 are radii of tetravalent actinide ions obtained from the M-O distances calculated from unit-cell parameters of the dioxides [1] by subtracting 1.38 A for oxygen (the value used [396] for the sesquioxides). For comparison. Shannon s ionic radii, derived from oxides and fluorides, and Peterson s tetravalent radii, derived from dioxides, are shown [537,538]. As... 

Crystal Structure and Ionic Radii. Crystal stmcture data have provided the basis for the ionic radii (coordination number = CN = 6), which are summarized in Table 9 (13,14,17). For both and ions there is an actinide contraction, analogous to the lanthanide contraction, with increasing positive charge on the nucleus. 

The anhydrous trihalides are ionic, high melting, crystalline substances which, apart from the trifluorides are extremely deliquescent. As can be seen from Table 30.4, the coordination number of the Ln changes with the radii of the ions, from 9 for the trifluorides of the large lanthanides to 6 for the triiodides of the smaller lanthanides. Their chief importance has been as materials from which the pure metals can be prepared. 

The coordination chemistry of the large, electropositive Ln ions is complicated, especially in solution, by ill-defined stereochemistries and uncertain coordination numbers. This is well illustrated by the aquo ions themselves.These are known for all the lanthanides, providing the solutions are moderately acidic to prevent hydrolysis, with hydration numbers probably about 8 or 9 but with reported values depending on the methods used to measure them. It is likely that the primary hydration number decreases as the cationic radius falls across the series. However, confusion arises because the polarization of the H2O molecules attached directly to the cation facilitates hydrogen bonding to other H2O molecules. As this tendency will be the greater, the smaller the cation, it is quite reasonable that the secondary hydration number increases across the series. 

FIGURE 11.7 Radii of the +3 ions of the lanthanides as a function of atomic number. The coordination number is assumed to be 6. 

Figure 2. Dy(P30io)2 is a lanthanide shift reagent commonly used in biological 7Li NMR experiments. The Dy3+ ion has a coordination number of nine with two P3O10 moieties, acting as tetradentate ligands, and one molecule of H2O coordinated in the first coordination sphere up to seven Li+ ions can bind in the second coordination sphere.

The higher coordinating ability and Lewis acidity of Zn(H) ion in addition to the low pK of the metal-bound water molecule and the appearance of this metal ion in native phosphatases inspired a number of research groups to develop Zn(II)-containing dinuclear artificial phosphatases. In contrast, very few model compounds have been published to mimic the activity of Fe(III) ion in dinuclear centers of phosphatase enzymes. Cu(II) or lanthanide ions are not relevant to natural systems but their chemical properties in certain cases allow extraordinarily high acceleration of phosphate-ester hydrolysis [as much as 108 for copper(II) or 1013 for lanthanide(III) ions]. 

EXAFS study on Eu2+ and Sr2+ in both solid state and aqueous solution gave coordination numbers of 8.0 for strontium(II) and 7.2 for europium(II) (228). The water exchange rate measured on the divalent europium aqua ion is the fastest ever measured by 170 NMR (Table XVI) (2). The activation volume is much more negative (—11.7 cm3 mol-1) than those determined on trivalent lanthanide aqua ions clearly indicating an a-activation mechanism which is most probably a limiting... 

---