Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of Rare-Earth Metal Carboryne Complexes

Rare-earth metal carboryne complexes LRE(C2B10H10)(thf)n [n = 2, RE Y (1a), Er (1b); n 1, (2); L 2-(2,5-Me2C4H2N)C6H4NC(Ph)N(2,6-iPr2C6H3)] were synthesized in good yields via either an alkane elimination reaction of rare-earth dialkyls LRE(CH2SiMe3)2 with 1 equiv o-carborane (o-C2B10H12) THF or a salt metathesis yttrium dichloride LYCl2(thf)3 Li2C2B10H10 toluene. They could be viewed as class three-membered metallacyclopropanes. Their molecular structures confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analyses, supporting the formation unique (RE)CC ring between and two cage C atoms moiety. underwent ring-expansion (mono-insertion) reactions many unsaturated organic compounds such aldehyde, ketone, nitrile, carbodiimide, isocyanate, thioisocyanate to give exclusively five-membered metallacycles, where ring-strain plays important role.