Synthesis, crystal structure of bis(arylamido)lanthanide methyl complexes and their catalytic behavior for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate

Reactions of [N(C6H3i-Pr2-2,6)(SiMe3)]2LnCl(THF) (Ln=Nd, Yb) with two equivalents of MeLi in a mixture solution of toluene and Et2O gave [N(C6H3i-Pr2-2,6)(SiMe3)]2LnCH3(μ-CH3)Li(THF)3·PhCH3 (Ln=Nd (1), Yb (2)) in good isolated yields as crystalline solids. The single-crystal structural analysis of 2 revealed that the coordination geometry of ytterbium ion is best described as a distorted pseudo-tetrahedron. Both 1 and 2 are active for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate to give syndiotactic-rich and high molecular weight polymers (Mn>104) with relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn<2).