A homoleptic tetravalent cerium silylamide

Treatment of Ce[N(SiHMe2)2]3(thf)2 with the chlorinating agents PhICl2, Ph3CCl or C2Cl6 gave the homoleptic Ce(IV) silylamide Ce[N(SiHMe2)2]4. When performed in the absence of donating (solvent) molecules, the trivalent cluster Ce5[N(SiHMe2)2]8Cl7 was isolated.