Bonding analysis in ytterbium(ii) distannyl and related tetryls. Issue 40 (23rd September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chapple, Peter M.; Cartron, Julien; Hamdoun, Ghanem; Cordier, Marie; Kahlal, Samia; Oulyadi, Hassan; Carpentier, Jean-François; Saillard, Jean-Yves; Sarazin, Yann
• Is Part Of: Dalton transactions. Volume 50:Issue 40(2021)
• Page Start: 14273
• Page End: 14284
• Publication Date: 2021-09-23
• Subjects: Chemistry, Inorganic -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Physical and theoretical -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Inorganic -- Periodicals; 546.05
• DOI: 10.1039/d1dt02355a
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-9226

Abstract

Abstract : The suite of heterobimetallic ytterbium(ii ) tetryls [Yb{E(SiMe3)3}2·(thf) x ] (E = Si, Ge, Sn) have been synthesised, and their bonding and electronic properties have been comprehensively investigated. Abstract : The syntheses of the ytterbium(ii ) distannyl [Yb{Sn(SiMe3 )3 }2 ·(thf)4 ] (Yb–Sn ) and of its digermyl analogue [Yb{Ge(SiMe3 )3 }2 ·(thf)3 ] (Yb–Ge ) are presented. The compounds were characterised by multinuclear high-resolution solution NMR spectroscopy, including 171 Yb NMR, and by X-ray diffraction crystallography. The bonding and electronic properties of the two complexes, along with those of the known ytterbium(ii ) disilyl derivative [Yb{Si(SiMe3 )3 }2 ·(thf)3 ] (Yb–Si ) and those of the congeneric calcium distannyl [Ca{Sn(SiMe3 )3 }2 ·(thf)4 ] (Ca–Sn ), were investigated in detail by DFT calculations. This analysis points at a primarily ionic Yb-tetrel bonding, with a small covalent contribution, attributed principally to the 5d(Yb) participation. This weak covalent character is found to be larger for the distannyl Yb–Sn than for its lighter Si- and Ge-derivatives. The covalent component is also found to be greater in Yb–Sn than in Ca–Sn, due to the availability of the 5d(Yb) orbitals for bonding.