Tetravalent Cerium Alkyl and Benzyl Complexes.

High-valent cerium complexes of alkyl and benzyl ligands are unprecedented due to the incompatibility of the typically highly oxidizing Ce ion and the reducing alkyl or benzyl ligand. Herein we report the synthesis and isolation of the first tetravalent cerium alkyl and benzyl complexes supported by the tri--butyl imidophosphorane ligand, [NP(Bu)]. The Ce monoiodide complex, [CeI(NP(-butyl))] (), serves as a precursor to the alkyl and benzyl complexes, [Ce(Npt)(NP(-butyl))] () (Npt = neopentyl, CHC(CH)) and [Ce(Bn)(NP(-butyl))] () (Bn = benzyl, CHPh). The bonding and structure of these complexes are characterized by single-crystal XRD, NMR and UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and DFT studies.