Effective and Reversible Carbon Dioxide Insertion into Cerium Pyrazolates

The homoleptic pyrazolate complexes [CeIII ₄ (Me₂ pz)₁₂ ] and [CeIV (Me₂ pz)₄ ]₂ quantitatively insert CO₂ to give [CeIII ₄ (Me₂ pz⋅CO₂ )₁₂ ] and [CeIV (Me₂ pz⋅CO₂ )₄ ], respectively (Me₂ pz=3,5-dimethylpyrazolato). This process is reversible for both complexes, as observed by in situ IR and NMR spectroscopy in solution and by TGA in the solid state. By adjusting the molar ratio, one molecule of CO₂ per [CeIV (Me₂ pz)₄ ] complex could be inserted to give trimetallic [Ce₃ (Me₂ pz)₉ (Me₂ pz⋅CO₂ )₃ (thf)]. Both the cerous and ceric insertion products catalyze the formation of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and CO₂ under mild conditions. In the absence of epoxide, the ceric catalyst is prone to reduction by the co-catalyst tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB).