Synthesis and Structure of the First Tetranuclear Organolanthanide Cluster Containing a μ4-Imido Group

Reaction of Me2Si(C9H7)(C2B10H11) with 4 equiv of NaNH2 in dry THF, followed by treatment with 1 equiv of LnCl3, gave unprecedented tetranuclear clusters of the general formula [{(η5-μ2-C9H6SiMe2NH)Ln}2(μ3-Cl)(THF)]2(μ4-NH)·THF (Ln = Gd (1), Er (2)) in moderate yield. Their molecular structures have been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analyses, which represent the first organometallic clusters containing a central μ4-imido group.