Reductive Approach to the Synthesis of the Molecular Lanthanide Polypnictide Complexes

In spite of the vigorous development during the last few decades, the coordination chemistry of lanthanides (Ln) is 95% still the chemistry of complexes with O- and N-donor ligands. The compounds with the Ln—E bond (E is a heavy element of the group 15th or 16th) up to now are considered as unconventional or exotic. Recently the fruitful “reductive approach” to this kind of compounds has been developed. The approach involves the performing of reactions between the strong reductants (Ln(II) complexes) and inorganic or organometallic compounds of the main group heavy elements. This paper is focused on the synthesis and structural diversity of the new family of the lanthanide compounds – polypnictide homo- and heterometallic complexes.