SYNTHESIS OF THE 1ST LANTHANIDE COMPLEXES OF DIALKYL ALPHA-HYDROXYIMINOPHOSPHONATES - AMBIVALENT LIGAND BONDING IN THE PRIII AND NDIII COMPLEXES OF DIISOPROPYL ALPHA-HYDROXYIMINOPROPYLPHOSPHONATE (L(1)), [PRL13CL3] AND [NDL12(NO3)3(H2O)]

Lanthanide complexes of dialkyl alpha-hydroxyiminophosphonates (RO)2P( O)C(R')N(OH) (L1-L3), where R = Et or Pr(i) and R' = Me or Et, have be en prepared for the first time; the crystal structures of two complexe s of L1 (R = Pr(i), R' = Et) have been determined, showing nine-co-ord ination geometry in both cases with asymmetric bidentate ligands in [P rL13Cl3] and monodentate bonding in [NdL21(NO3)3(H2O)] demonstrating t hat the ambivalent nature of the new ligands allow formation of neutra l complexes.