Synthesis and crystal structure of [(C8H8)(3)(C6H5CH2C5H4)Nd2K(THF)3]

NdCl3 reacted with C6H5CH2C5H4Na in the ratio 1:1 at -78 degrees C giving [C6H5 CH2C5H4NdCl2 . nTHF], which then was reacted with C8H8K2/THF to yield the title complex [(C8H8)(3)(C6H5CH2C5H4)Nd2K(THF)(3)] (C6H5CH2C5H4 = benzylcyclopentadienyl). The crystal structure of the Nd complex was determined by X-ray diffraction and revealed that the benzyl group is coordinated to the potassium atom to form a new type of trinuclear complex [(eta(8)-C8H8)Nd(mu(2)-eta(8)-C8H8K(THF) (eta(3)-C6H5CH2-mu(2)-eta(5)-C5H4)Nd (THF)(2)(eta(8)-C8H8)]. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.