Synthesis of a dinuclear europium(iii) complex through deprotonation and oxygen-atom transfer of trimethylamine N-oxide

Abstract

A dinuclear Eu(III) complex Eu₂(OCH₂NMe₂)₂[N(SiMe₃)₂]₄ (1) was synthesized via the reaction of Me₃NO and Eu[N(SiMe₃)₂]₃, during which the unprecedented C–H activation of Me₃NO occurred along with oxygen-atom transfer. A simple Eu[N(SiMe₃)₂]₃(OPMe₃) adduct (2) was obtained when Me₃PO was used, which should be due to the higher energy barrier and poorer product stability that prevent the formation of the phosphine substituted analogue of 1.