Structural studies of mononuclear yttrium and lutetium complexes bearing anthracenide and polyphenyl-substituted cyclopentadienyl ligands

Crystal structures of mononuclear cyclopentadienyl-anthracenide complexes [(1,3-Ph2C5H3)Lu(C14H10)(THF)2]•THF (1a), [(1,2,4-Ph3C5H2)Lu(C14H10)(THF)2]•0.17hexane•1.53THF (2a), [(1,2,4-Ph3C5H2)Lu(C14H10)(THF)2]•3C6D6 (2b), [(1,2,4-Ph3C5H2)Y(C14H10)(THF)2] •0.23hexane•1.37THF (3a), and [(1,2,4-Ph3C5H2)Lu(2,6-tBu2C14H8)(THF)2]•0.5THF (4a) have been studied. Complexes exhibit a structural rigidity of the (η5-C5)Ln(η2-C14)(O)2 crystallographic node. Electronic and steric effects are discussed. The cyclopentadienyl-anthracenide complexes are able to activate C = C bonds without a co-catalyst, using ethylene polymerization as an example.