Bi- and trimetallic rare-earth-palladium complexes ligated by phosphinoamides.

The synthesis of the heterometallic early-late 4d/4f bi- and trinuclear phosphinoamido Ln-Pd(0) complexes [(Ph2PNHPh)Pd{μ-(Ph2PNPh)}3Ln(μ-Cl)Li(THF)3] (Ln = Y, Lu) and [Li(THF)4][{(Ph2PNHPh)Pd}2{μ-(Ph2PNPh)}4Ln] (Ln = Y, Lu) is described. The latter compounds are the first early-late trimetallic phosphinoamido complexes. Although the metal atoms are forced into close proximity by the phosphinoamido ligands, quantum chemical calculations show only weak metal-to-metal interactions.