C-H bond activation by f-block complexes

Most homogeneous catalysis relies on the design of metal complexes to trap and convert substrates or small molecules to value-added products. Organometallic lanthanide compounds first gave a tantalizing glimpse of their potential for catalytic C-H bond transformations with the selective cleavage of one C-H bond in methane by bis(permethylcyclopentadienyl)lanthanide methyl [(h5-C5Me5)2Ln-(CH3)] complexes some 25 years ago. Since then, numerous metal complexes from across the periodic table have been shown to selectively activate hydrocarbon C-H bonds, but the challenges of closing catalytic cycles still remain; many f-block complexes show great potential in this important area of chemistry.