Heterometallic lanthanide group 12 metal iodides.

Neodymium tri-iodide reacts with Group 12 metal (M; M = Zn, Cd, Hg) iodides to form heterometallic compounds. These Lewis acidic M cleave Nd-I bonds to give either ionic ([(THF)(5)NdI(2)][MI(3)THF]; M = Zn, Cd) or charge-neutral [(THF)(5)NdI(micro(2)I)HgI(3)] compounds. Differences in structure are interpreted primarily in terms of M-L bond strengths, rather than Nd-L bond strengths. Experiments with Yb indicate that if there is any excess iodide present in these syntheses then the most readily isolated product is a triiodide salt, i.e., [(THF)(5)YbI(2)][I(3)]. In conventional solvents the presence of Lewis acid is not required for iodide displacement-from pyridine, "YbI(3)" crystallizes as [(py)(5)YbI(2)][I]. These compounds are potentially useful as heterometallic sources of lanthanide-doped iodide matrixes, they illustrate the ease with which iodides are displaced from lanthanide coordination spheres, and they underscore the complexity associated with using lanthanide iodides as Lewis acid catalysts.