Reduction of imine of samarium Schiff base chloride by sodium—Formation of a novel samarium complex through unprecedented C–C coupling and hydrogen transfer reaction

SmCl3 reacted with sodium salt of the Schiff base ligand L image in a 1:2 molar ratio in THF to afford samarium Schiff base chloride L2SmCl(THF) (1). Treatment of complex 1 with excessive metallic sodium produced an unprecedented samarium complex image (2), in which three Schiff base ligands were trimerized to form the new ligand image by the reductive coupling reactions of imine groups involving a rare coupling reaction of Cdouble bond; length as m-dashN bond of quinoline ring with imine group of Schiff base ligand.