Syntheses of reactive rare earth complexes by redox transmetallation/protolysis reactions–A simple and convenient method

The Redox Transmetallation/Protolysis (RTP) reaction is a convenient, one-pot synthetic route to novel highly reactive lanthanoid complexes. This review encompasses and summarizes the various lanthanoid complexes that have been prepared by the RTP method and is organized by the different classes of ligands. The lanthanoid complexes formed include pyrazolates; indolates; formamidinates; amidinates; aryloxides, cyclopentadienides, organoamides and other less common species, such as pyrrolides and triazenides. While diarylmercurials are largely used in the RTP reaction due to their air and moisture stability, oxidising power and capabilities of forming reactive intermediate species, investigations of alternatives to mercurial reagents have also been conducted. This review includes the initial studies of both pentafluorophenylsilver and trispentafluorophenylbismuth as potential replacements for diarylmercurials in the RTP reactions.