Mononuclear and heterodinuclear phenanthrolinedione complexes of d- and f-block elements

1,10-Phenanthroline-5,6-dione (Phd) complexes of group 3 and lanthanide elements having formulae Ln(hfac)(3)(Phd) (Ln = Y, Eu, Yb; hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate) were synthesised and characterised. Complexes of d-block elements of the type [MCl(Phd)(p-cymene)](+) (M = Ru, Os) were also prepared. In all these species, coordination of the polydentate ligand occurs by the N-donor moieties, as indicated by DFT calculations. The novel compounds were tested, together with facReBr(Phd)(CO)(3), as precursors for the preparation of heterobimetallic d/f derivatives. The reaction of the rhenium complex with yttrium or lanthanide anhydrous triflate salts led to the formation of the complexes ReBr(CO)(3)(N, N' -Phd-O, O') Ln(OTf)(3)(THF) (Ln = Y, Eu, Yb), where the trivalent ions interacted with the quinonoid moiety. The redox properties of the rhenium centre were strongly affected by the coordination of Ln(OTf) 3, as observed by comparing the cyclic voltammetry measurements carried out on fac-ReBr(Phd)(CO)(3) and on ReBr(CO) 3(N, N' - Phd-O,O') Y(OTf)(3). (C) 2015 Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences