Steric Manipulation of the Reductive Reactivity of Ytterbocenes toward 2-(((2,6-Diisopropylphenyl)imino)methyl)pyridine: Insertion of the N:C Bond into the Yb-Indenyl Bond or Oxidative Cleavage of the h5 Yb-Cp (Cp = C13H9, Cp) Bond.

International audienceUnprecedented N=C bond insertion into the 5 Yb-C9H7 bond occurs in the reaction of 2-(((2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino)methyl)pyridine with (C9H7)2Yb(THF)2 and affords the Yb(III) derivative [Yb(5-C9H7){N(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)CH(C9H7)(C5H4N)}{2,6-i-Pr2C6H3NCH(C5H4N)-}]. For the complexes Cp2Yb(THF)2 (Cp = C13H9, Cp*) coordinated by bulkier 5 ligands the same reaction results in an oxidative cleavage of the 5 Yb-Cp (Cp = C13H9, Cp*) bond and formation of [Yb{(2,6-i-Pr2C6H5NCH(C5H4N)-}3] and [Yb(C5Me5){(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3NCH(C5H4N)-}2], respectively