High yield synthesis of octahedral hexanuclear rare-earth clusters using alkylamines

Abstract

Octahedral hexanuclear rare-earth clusters [M₆(μ-O)(μ-OH)₈(NO₃)₆(H₂O)_x]·(NO₃)₂·yH₂O (M = Y, Nd, Gd) were synthesized in high yields by hydrolyzing rare-earth nitrates with small alkylamines. This method does not require metallic reagents other than the rare-earth sources. The highest yields of Y₆, Nd₆, and Gd₆ were ∼0.97, ∼0.68, and ∼0.92, respectively.