Synthesis and crystal structure of bis(2-dimethylaminoethylindenyl) divalent organolanthanides (Ln=Sm, Yb)

First examples of racemic bis(2-dimethylaminoethylindenyl) divalent unsolvated organolanthanide complexes (Me 2 NCH 2 CH 2 C 9 H 6 ) 2 Sm ( 1 ) and (Me 2 NCH 2 CH 2 C 9 H 6 ) 2 Yb ( 2 ) have been synthesized by the reaction of (Me 2 NCH 2 CH 2 C 9 H 6 )K with LnI 2 (Ln=Sm, Yb). The two compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis and 1 H-NMR spectrometry. The X-ray crystal structure of 2 has been determined by diffraction study. The crystals are prismatic, space group P 2 1 / a (≠14), with a =17.342(6) A, b =8.542(7) A, c =17.353(2) A, β =118.70°, V =2254(1) A 3 , Z =4, D =1.607 g cm −3 .