MECHANOCHEMICAL SYNTHESES OF SOME ORGANOMETALLICS

The rare earth cyclopentadienyls YbCp(2) and EuCp(3) have been prepare d by high energy ball milling of the lanthanoid metal with thallium(I) cyclopentadienide, and were isolated as YbCp(2)(dme) (dme = 1,2-dimet hoxyethane) and EuCp(3)(py) (py = pyridine) in modest yield following extraction of the reaction mixtures with the appropriate solvent. A si milar synthesis of ferrocene has also been achieved. Mechanochemical d ecarboxylation of mercuric pentafluorobenzoate has been achieved in lo w-moderate yield by milling this compound with anhydrous K2CO3. Na3PO4 and Na2SO4, but not by milling alone or with basic alumina. Other mat erials (graphite, calcined alumina, sand and CaCO3) gave trace amounts or very low yields.