Molecular rare-earth-metal hydrides in non-cyclopentadienyl environments.

Molecular hydrides of the rare-earth metals play an important role as homogeneous catalysts and as counterparts of solid-state interstitial hydrides. Structurally well-characterized non-metallocene-type hydride complexes allow the study of elementary reactions that occur at rare-earth-metal centers and of catalytic reactions involving bonds between rare-earth metals and hydrides. In addition to neutral hydrides, cationic derivatives have now become available.