FORMATION OF LANTHANOID(II) AND LANTHANOID(III) THIOLATE COMPLEXES DERIVED FROM METALS AND ORGANIC DISULFIDES - CRYSTAL-STRUCTURES OF [(LN(SAR)(MU-SAR)(THF)(3))(2)] (LN=SM, EU), [SM(SAR)(3)(PY)(2)(THF)] AND [YB(SAR)(3)(PY)(3)] (AR=2,4,6-TRIISOPROPYLPHENYL PY=PYRIDINE)

Reaction of metallic samarium, europium and ytterbium with bis(2,4,6-t riisopropylphenyl) disulfide gave selectively Ln(II) thiolate complexe s, [{Ln(SAr)(mu-SAr)(thf)(3))(2)] Ln = Sm 1; Ln = Eu 2 and [Yb(SAr)(2) (py)(4)] 3, as well as Ln(III) thiolate complexes, [Ln(SAr)(3)(py)(n)( thf)(3-n)]:Ln = Sm, n = 3 4a; Ln = Sm, n = 2 4b; Ln = Yb, n =35, (Ar = 2,4,6-trisopropylphenyl) depending on the stoichiometry of the lantha noid and the disulfide; the molecular structu res of 1, 2, 4b and 5 we re determined by X-ray crystallography.