Homoleptic 2-mercapto benzothiazolate uranium and lanthanide complexes

Treatment of [Ln(BH4)3(THF)3] (Ln = Ce, Nd) with 3 and 4 mol equiv of KSBT in tetrahydrofuran (THF) led to the formation of [Ln(SBT)3(THF)] and [K(THF)Ln(SBT)4], respectively. The uranium(IV) compound [U(SBT)4(THF)2] was obtained from U(BH4)4 and was reversibly reduced by sodium amalgam into the corresponding anionic uranium(III) complex. The crystal structures of [Ln(SBT)3(THF)2] (Ln = Ce, Nd), [K(15-crown-5)2][Nd(SBT)4], [U(SBT)4(THF)], and [K(15-crown-5)2][U(SBT)4(py)] show the bidentate coordination mode and the thionate character of the SBT ligand. (authors)