Formation of a Heterometallic Al^III/Sm^III Complex Involving a Novel [EtAl(2-py)₂O]^2– Ligand (2-py = 2‑Pyridyl)

Controlled O₂ oxidation of the Sm­(II) sandwich compound [{EtAl­(2-py)₃}₂­Sm] (1a) gives the Sm­(III)/Al­(III) compound [{EtAl­(2-py)₃}­{EtAl­(2-py)₂O}­Sm]₂ (2), containing the novel multifunctional dianionic ligand [EtAl­(2-py)₂­O]^2–. The formation of an O-bridged Al-O-Sm arrangement in the structure of 2 is potentially relevant to the catalytic epoxidation of styrene with dry air using heterobimetallic sandwich compounds like 1a.