New syntheses of complexes containing the recently discovered (N(2))(3-) radical trianion have been developed by examining variations on the LnA(3)/M reductive system that delivers "LnA(2)" reactivity when Ln = scandium, yttrium, or a lanthanide, M = an alkali metal, and A = N(SiMe(3))(2) and C(5)R(5). The first examples of LnA(3)/M reduction of dinitrogen with aryloxide ligands (A = OC(6)R(5)) are reported: the combination of Dy(OAr)(3) (OAr = OC(6)H(3)(t)Bu(2)-2,6) with KC(8) under dinitrogen was found to produce both (N(2))(2-) and (N(2))(3-) products, [(ArO)(2)Dy(THF)(2)](2)(μ-η(2):η(2)-N(2)), 1, and [(ArO)(2)Dy(THF)](2)(μ-η(2):η(2)-N(2))[K(THF)(6)], 2a, respectively. The range of metals that form (N(2))(3-) complexes with [N(SiMe(3))(2)](-) ancillary ligands has been expanded from Y to Lu, Er, and La. Ln[N(SiMe(3))(2)](3)/M reactions with M = Na as well as KC(8) are reported. Reduction of the isolated (N(2))(2-) complex {[(Me(3)Si)(2)N](2)Y(THF)}(2)(μ-η(2):η(2)-N(2)), 3, with KC(8) forms the (N(2))(3-) complex, {[(Me(3)Si)(2)N](2)Y(THF)}(2)(μ-η(2):η(2)-N(2))[K(THF)(6)], 4a, in high yield. The reverse transformation, the conversion of 4a to 3 can be accomplished cleanly with elemental Hg. The crown ether derivative {[(Me(3)Si)(2)N](2)Y(THF)}(2)(μ-η(2):η(2)-N(2))[K(18-crown-6)(THF)(2)] was isolated from reduction of 3 with KC(8) in the presence of 18-crown-6 and found to be much less soluble in tetrahydrofuran (THF) than the [K(THF)(6)](+) salt, which facilitates its separation from 3. Evidence for ligand metalation in the Y[N(SiMe(3))(2)](3)/KC(8) reaction was obtained through the crystal structure of the metallacyclic complex {[(Me(3)Si)(2)N](2)Y[CH(2)Si(Me(2))NSiMe(3)]}[K(18-crown-6)(THF)(toluene)]. Density functional theory previously used only with reduced dinitrogen complexes of closed shell Sc(3+) and Y(3+) was extended to Lu(3+) as well as to open shell 4f(9) Dy(3+) complexes to allow the first comparison of bonding between these four metals.

Investigation of the bis(tetramethylcyclopentadienyl) metallocene chemistry of scandium has revealed that the method involving reduction of trivalent salts with alkali metals used with lanthanides can also be applied to scandium to make a dinitrogen complex of the first member of the transition metal series. ScCl(3) reacts with 2 equiv of KC(5)Me(4)H to form (C(5)Me(4)H)(2)ScCl(THF), 1, which reacts with allylmagnesium chloride to make (C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Sc(eta(3)-C(3)H(5)), 2. Complex 2 reacts with [HNEt(3)][BPh(4)] to yield [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Sc][(mu-Ph)BPh(3)], 3, which has just one primary Sc-C(phenyl) contact connecting the tetraphenylborate anion and the metallocene cation. Treatment of 3 with KC(8) in THF under N(2) generates [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Sc](2)(mu-eta(2):eta(2)-N(2)), which has a coplanar arrangement of scandium and nitrogen atoms within a square planar array of tetramethylcyclopentadienyl rings. Density functional calculations explain the bonding that results in the 1.239(3) A N-N bond distance in the (N=N)(2-) moiety.

The reductive reactivity of lanthanide hydride ligands in the [(C5Me5)2LnH]x complexes (Ln = Sm, La, Y) was examined to see if these hydride ligands would react like the actinide hydrides in [(C5Me5)2AnH2]2 (An = U, Th) and [(C5Me5)2UH]2. Each lanthanide hydride complex reduces PhSSPh to make [(C5Me5)2Ln(mu-SPh)]2 in approximately 90% yield. [(C5Me5)2SmH]2 reduces phenazine and anthracene to make [(C5Me5)2Sm]2(mu-eta(3):eta(3)-C12H8N2) and [(C5Me5)2Sm]2(mu-eta(3):eta(3)-C10H14), respectively, but the analogous [(C5Me5)2LaH]x and [(C5Me5)2YH]2 reactions are more complicated. All three lanthanide hydrides reduce C8H8 to make (C5Me5)Ln(C8H8) and (C5Me5)3Ln, a reaction that constitutes another synthetic route to (C5Me5)3Ln complexes. In the reaction of [(C5Me5)2YH]2 with C8H8, two unusual byproducts are obtained. In benzene, a (C5Me5)Y[(eta(5)-C5Me4CH2-C5Me4CH2-eta(3))] complex forms in which two (C5Me5)(1-) rings are linked to make a new type of ansa-allyl-cyclopentadienyl dianion that binds as a pentahapto-trihapto chelate. In cyclohexane, a (C5Me5)2Y(mu-eta(8):eta(1)-C8H7)Y(C5Me5) complex forms in which a (C8H8)(2-) ring is metalated to form a bridging (C8H7)(3-) trianion.

Metal size effects in reductive chemistry using [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Ln(THF)](2)(mu-eta(2):eta(2)-N(2)) complexes have been evaluated using the extremes in ionic radii of the lanthanide series, Ln = La, 1, and Lu, 2. Comparisons have been made using 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene, phenazine, carbon dioxide, and anthracene as substrates. Complexes 1 and 2 react similarly with 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene to form (C(5)Me(4)H)(3)Ln and (C(5)Me(4)H)Ln(C(8)H(8))(THF)(x) (Ln = La, x = 2, or Lu, x = 0) in a reaction analogous to the reduction of this substrate with divalent (C(5)Me(5))(2)Sm. Complexes 1 and 2 differ in their reactions with phenazine in that 1 forms at least three products, including [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)La](mu-eta(4):eta(2)-C(12)H(8)N(2))[La(THF)(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)], 3, and (C(5)Me(4)H)(3)La, whereas 2 forms a single product, [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Lu](2)(mu-eta(3):eta(3)-C(12)H(8)N(2)), 4, in quantitative yield. Complexes 3 and 4 are similar to the product obtained from the reaction of (C(5)Me(5))(2)Sm and phenazine, [(C(5)Me(5))(2)Sm](2)(mu-eta(3):eta(3)-C(12)H(8)N(2)), since all three complexes contain a reduced phenazine dianion, but the phenazine ligand displays structural variations depending on the size of the metal. With CO(2), complex 1 forms multiple products, but 2 reacts cleanly to form the reductively coupled oxalate complex, [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Lu](2)(mu-eta(2):eta(2)-C(2)O(4)), 5, in high yield. With anthracene, 1 forms a complex product mixture from which only (C(5)Me(4)H)(3)La(THF), 9, characterized by X-ray crystallography, could be identified. In contrast, 2 is unreactive toward anthracene even upon heating to 75 degrees C after 24 h.

The metallocene precursors needed to provide the tetramethylcyclopentadienyl yttrium complexes (C(5)Me(4)H)(3)Y, [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Y(THF)](2)(mu-eta(2):eta(2)-N(2)), and [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Y(mu-H)](2) for reactivity studies have been synthesized and fully characterized, and their reaction chemistry has led to an unexpected conversion of an azide to an amide. (C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Y(mu-Cl)(2)K(THF)(x), 1, synthesized from YCl(3) and KC(5)Me(4)H reacts with allylmagnesium chloride to make (C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Y(eta(3)-C(3)H(5)), 2, which is converted to [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Y][(mu-Ph)(2)BPh(2)], 3, with [Et(3)NH][BPh(4)]. Complex 3 reacts with KC(5)Me(4)H to form (C(5)Me(4)H)(3)Y, 4. The reduced dinitrogen complex, [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Y(THF)](2)(mu-eta(2):eta(2)-N(2)), 5, can be synthesized from either [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Y](2)[(mu-Ph)(2)BPh(2)], 3, or (C(5)Me(4)H)(3)Y, 4, with potassium graphite under a dinitrogen atmosphere. The (15)N labeled analogue, [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Y(THF)](2)(mu-eta(2):eta(2)-(15)N(2)), 5-(15)N, has also been prepared, and the (15)N NMR data have been compared to previously characterized reduced dinitrogen complexes. Complex 2 reacts with H(2) to form the corresponding hydride, [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Y(mu-H)](2), 6. Complex 5 displays similar reactivity to that of the analogous [(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Ln(THF)](2)(mu-eta(2):eta(2)-N(2)) complexes (Ln = La, Lu), with substrates such as phenazine, anthracene, and CO(2). In addition, 5 reduces Me(3)SiN(3) to form (C(5)Me(4)H)(2)Y[N(SiMe(3))(2)], 7.

(C(5)Me(5))(2)Y(eta(3)-C(3)H(5)) reacts with 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane, 9-BBN, to form single crystals containing both a borane-substituted allyl complex, (C(5)Me(5))(2)Y[eta(3)-C(3)H(4)(BC(8)H(14))], and a borohydride, (C(5)Me(5))(2)Y(micro-H)(2)BC(8)H(14), that can be synthesized directly from 9-BBN and the yttrium hydride, [(C(5)Me(5))(2)YH](x).