Rare earth alkyl and hydride complexes bearing silylene-linked cyclopentadienyl-phosphido ligands. Synthesis, structures, and catalysis in olefin hydrosilylation and ethylene polymerization

A series of silylene-linked cyclopentadienyl-phosphido rare earth alkyl and hydride complexes of type Me2Si(C5Me4)(PR′)LnR (Ln=Y, Yb, Lu; R′=Ph, Cy, C6H2tBu3-2,4,6; R=CH2SiMe3, H) have been synthesized and structurally characterized, and their activity in ethylene polymerization and olefin hydrosilylation has been studied. These complexes represent the first examples of rare earth alkyl and hydride complexes bearing cyclopentadienyl-phosphido ligands, which are in sharp contrast both structurally and chemically with the analogous cyclopentadienyl-amido and metallocene complexes.