Monomeric thorium dihydrido complexes: versatile precursors to actinide metallacycles

Abstract

The monomeric actinide dihydrido complex [(Cp^Ar*)(Cp*)ThH₂(THF)] (2) bearing the super-bulky penta-arylcyclopentadienyl (Cp^Ar* = C₅Ar*₅, Ar* = 3,5-^tBu₂-C₆H₃) and pentamethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp* = C₅Me₅) ligands was obtained for the first time. Complex 2 underwent unique Th–H addition reactions with various unsaturated compounds to afford the corresponding five-membered metallacycles, including the first example of actinide metallacyclopentyne [(Cp^Ar*)(Cp*)Th(PhCH–CC–CHPh)] (4).