Organolanthanide chemistry


Organolanthanide chemistry is the field of chemistry that studies compounds with a lanthanide-to-carbon bond. Organolanthanide compounds are different from their organotransition metal analogues in the following ways:
Metal-carbon σ bonds are found in alkyls of the lanthanide elements such as 3− and Ln3. Methyllithium dissolved in THF reacts in stoichiometric ratio with LnCl3 to yield Ln3 probably contaminated with LiCl.
If a chelating agent, such as tetramethylethylenediamine or 1,2-dimethoxyethane is mixed with MCl3 and CH3Li in THF, this forms 3 and 3.
Certain powdered lanthanides react with diphenylmercury in THF to yield octahedral complexes:

π-Bonded Complexes

es are known for all lanthanides. All, barring trispromethium can be produced by the following reaction scheme:
Pm3 can be produced by the following reaction:
These compounds are of limited use and academic interest.