Variety of naphthalene coordination modes in the polynuclear (pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)lutetium naphthalene complex {[(C5Me5Lu)(3)(C10H8)(C10H7)(H)][(Na(THF)(3)]}(2)C10H8

The reaction of C5Me5LuCl2 with sodium naphthalenide in DME solution affords the mononuclear complex C5Me5LuC10H8(DME) (1) in 48% yield besides naphthalene and NaCl. The same reaction in THF solution gives a series of products: (C5Me5)Lu(C10H8)(2)Na(THF)(x) (2), {[(C5Me5Lu)(3)(C10H8)(C10H8)(H)][Na(THF)(3)]}(2)C10H8 (3) and [(C5Me5)LuH(THF)](3)(C10H7) (4). The polynuclear complex 3 with several modes of Lu-naphthalene interaction has been isolated in low yield in a monocrystalline form. An X-ray diffraction study has shown that complex 3 consists of three C5Me5Lu units joined by two non-planar bridging C10H8 and C10H7 ligands via different kinds of naphthalene coordination mode. The third planar C10H8 group is not involved in coordination sphere of the Lu atoms, and is on an inversion centre in the crystal structure. The Na atom in 3 is bonded to three THF molecules and eta(3)-bonded to the bridging C10H7 group. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.