Synthesis of the first lanthanide complexes of dialkyl α-hydroxyiminophosphonates; ambivalent ligand bonding in the PrIII and NdIII complexes of diisopropyl α-hydroxyiminopropylphosphonate (L1), [PrL13Cl3] and [NdL12(NO3)3(H2O)]

Abstract

Lanthanide complexes of dialkyl α-hydroxyiminophosphonates (RO)₂P(O)C(R′)N(OH)(L¹–L³), where R = Et or Prⁱ and R′= Me or Et, have been prepared for the first time; the crystal structures of two complexes of L¹(R = Prⁱ, R′= Et) have been determined, showing nine-co-ordination geometry in both cases with asymmetric bidentate ligands in [PrL¹₃Cl₃] and monodentate bonding in [NdL¹₂(NO₃)₃(H₂O)] demonstrating that the ambivalent nature of the new ligands allow formation of neutral complexes.