Reactivity of lanthanoid aryloxide complexes: isolation of a 1,2-dimethoxyethane cleavage product

[Yb(OAr)2(µ-OMe)(DME)]2 (1) (OAr = 2,6-di-iso-propylphenolate) was synthesised via a redox transmetallation ligand exchange reaction between ytterbium metal, diphenylmercury and 2,6-di-isopropylphenol in DME. The source of the methoxy groups is from cleavage of DME, and the C-O bond activation is unexpected given that the reaction was undertaken at ambient temperature. Each Yb3+ metal ion in 1 is six coordinate, and the coordination arrangement around each metal ion is distorted trigonal antiprismatic with Yb-O(OMe) bond lengths (2.191(2) and 2.258(2) Å) shorter than the Yb-O(aryloxide) bond distances (2.094(2) and 2.074(2) Å)