The synthesis, structures, and reactivity of new lanthanocene complexes incorporatingamidinate ligand [
tBuN
C(
nBu)
N
tBu] are described. Treatment of Cp
2Ln
nBu (Ln = Er(
1), Y (
2), Gd (
3)) with
N,
N'-di-
tert-butylcarbodiimide results in monoinsertion of carbodiimideinto the Ln-C
-bond to yield the title compounds Cp
2Ln[
tBuN
C(
nBu)
N
tBu] (Ln = Er(
4), Y (
5), Gd (
6)). Complexes
4-
6 were characterized by elemental analysis and IR andmass spectroscopies. The structures of complexes
4 and
5 were determined through X-raysingle-crystal diffraction analysis. It is shown that compound
5 is a fine catalyst forcyclotrimerization of phenyl isocyanate.