Syntheses and structures of lanthanide complexes containing a bis(imidazolin-2-imino)pyridine pincer ligand

2,6-Bis[1,3-di-tert-butylimidazolin-2-imino)methyl]pyridine complexes of the type [(TLtBu)LnCl3] (Ln = Y, Er, Lu) were synthesized. The solid state structures of the yttrium and lutetium complexes reveal remote, secondary C-H⋯Ln interactions, which have been analyzed by means of DFT (density functional theory) calculations and by employing the AIM (atoms in molecules) theory.