The half-sandwich rare-earth complexes [M(III)(acac)(TClPP)] (M = Sm, Eu, Y; TClPP = meso-tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)porphyrinate; acac = acetylacetonate), generated in situ from [M(acac)3] x n H2O and H2(TClPP), were treated with 1,8,15,22-tetrakis(3-pentyloxy)phthalocyanine [H2{Pc(alpha-OC5H11)4}] (Pc = phthalocyaninate) under reflux in n-octanol to yield both the neutral nonprotonated and protonated (phthalocyaninato)(porphyrinato) rare-earth double-decker complexes, [M(III){Pc(alpha-OC5H11)4}(TClPP)] (1-3) and [M(III)H{Pc(alpha-OC5H11)4}(TClPP)] (4-6), respectively. In contrast, reaction of [Y(III)(acac)(TClPP)] with 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octakis(1-butyloxy)phthalocyanine [H2Pc(alpha-OC4H9)8] gave only the protonated double-decker complex [Y(III)H{Pc(alpha-OC4H9)8}(TClPP)] (7). These observations clearly show the importance of the number and positions of substituents on the phthalocyanine ligand in controlling the nature of the (phthalocyaninato)(porphyrinato) rare-earth double-deckers obtained. In particular, alpha-alkoxylation of the phthalocyanine ligand is found to stabilize the protonated form, a fact supported by molecular-orbital calculations. A combination of mass spectrometry, NMR, UV-visible, near-IR, MCD, and IR spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analyses, facilitated the differentiation of the newly prepared neutral nonprotonated and protonated double-decker complexes. The crystal structure of the protonated form has been determined for the first time.

A novel one-pot procedure starting from the corresponding M(acac)3 x nH2O, metal-free phthalocyanine H2Pc', and naphthalonitrile in the presence of DBU in n-octanol has been developed to prepare heteroleptic (naphthalocyaninato)(phthalocyaninato) rare earth double-decker complexes. A series of six sandwich compounds with different naphthalocyaninato ligands, phthalocyaninato ligands, and central rare earth metals, namely, Sm[Nc(tBu)4](Pc) [Nc(tBu)4 = 3(4),12(13),21(22),30(31)-tetra(tert-butyl)naphthalocyaninato; Pc = unsubstituted phthalocyaninato] (1), Sm(Nc)(Pc') [Pc' = Pc(OC5H11)4, Pc(OC8H17)8; Nc = 2,3-naphthalocyaninato; Pc(OC5H11)4 = 2(3),9(10),16(17),24(25)-tetrakis(3-pentyloxy)phthalocyaninato; Pc(OC8H17)8 = 2,3,9,10,16,17,24,25-octakis(octyloxy)phthalocyaninato] (2, 3), and M(Nc)[Pc(alpha-OC5H11)4] [M = Sm, Eu, Y; Pc(alpha-OC5H11)4 = 1,8,15,22-tetrakis(3-pentyloxy)phthalocyaninato] (4-6), have been isolated in good yields from this one-pot procedure demonstrating the generality of this synthetic pathway. In addition to spectroscopic analyses, the electrochemistry of these novel compounds has also been studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) methods.

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