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The π-expanded dibenzocyclooctatetraene ligand was employed to access an unprecedented series of actinide sandwich compounds. The trivalent uranium complexes were studied by crystallography, spectroscopy, and computations. 

A series of multinuclear metallocenes composed of a t Bu salophen dianion bound to two rare earth metal ions, where each is encased in a bis-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl scaffold, was realized. The isolated molecules (Cp* 2 RE) 2 (μ- t Bu salophen), where RE = Gd (1), Dy (2), and Y (3), constitute the first salophen-bridged metallocene complexes for any metal ion. 1–3 were characterised by X-ray crystallography, cyclic voltammetry, IR, NMR, and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammograms of 1–3 excitingly exhibit quasi-reversable features attributed to the ( t Bu salophen 2− / t Bu salophen 3− ˙) redox couple. DFT calculations on 3 uncovered the highest occupied molecular orbital to be primarily localized on the metallocene and phenolate moieties of the t Bu salophen ligand. Furthermore, the nuclear spin I = ½ for yttrium allowed the collection of 89 Y NMR spectra for 3. Magnetic studies revealed slow magnetic relaxation, placing 2 among dysprosocenium-based single-molecule magnets containing a doubly anionic ligand in the equatorial plane. 

Introducing spin onto organic ligands that are coordinated to rare earth metal ions allows direct exchange with metal spin centres. This is particularly relevant for the deeply buried 4f-orbitals of the lanthanide ions that can give rise to unparalleled magnetic properties. For efficacy of exchange coupling, the donor atoms of the radical ligand require high-spin density. Such molecules are extremely rare owing to their reactive nature that renders isolation and purification difficult. Here, we demonstrate that a 2,2′-azopyridyl (abpy) radical ( S = 1/2) bound to the rare earth metal yttrium can be realized. This molecule represents the first rare earth metal complex containing an abpy radical and is unambigously characterized by X-ray crystallography, NMR, UV-Vis-NIR, and IR spectroscopy. In addition, the most stable isotope 89 Y with a natural abundance of 100% and a nuclear spin of ½ allows an in-depth analysis of the yttrium–radical complex via EPR and HYSCORE spectroscopy. Further insight into the electronic ground state of the radical azobispyridine-coordinated metal complex was realized through unrestricted DFT calculations, which suggests that the unpaired spin density of the SOMO is heavily localized on the azo and pyridyl nitrogen atoms. The experimental results are supported by NBO calculations and give a comprehensive picture of the spin density of the azopyridyl ancillary ligand. This unexplored azopyridyl radical anion in heavy element chemistry bears crucial implications for the design of molecule-based magnets particularly comprising anisotropic lanthanide ions.