The first oligomeric samarium(II) silylamide: Coordinative saturation through agostic Sm center dot center dot center dot SiH interactions

Sm[N(SiMe3)(2)](2)(thf)(2) reacts with 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane by a t ranssilylamination reaction to form the hexane-soluble Sm[N(SiHMe2)(2)](2)( thf)(x) in high yield. An X-ray diffraction study reveals a novel trinuclea r complex of composition Sm{[mu-N(SiHMe2)(2)](2)Sm[N(SiHMe2)(2)](thf)}(2) f eaturing a bent array of metal centers. Multiple metal ... SiH beta-agostic interactions sterically and electronically saturate the samarium(II) cente rs implying a new coordination mode of the bridging amide ligands.