All manipulations were performed under inert conditions using either standard Schlenk techniques or argon-filled glovebox. nHexane, toluene and THF were purified by refluxing over potassium using benzophenone as an indicator and distilled prior to use. The chemicals pentamethylcyclopentadiene (Cp*H), allylmagnesium chloride (2.0 M in THF), potassium bistrimethylsilylamide (KN(Si(CH3)3)2) anhydrous LnCl3 (Ln = Gd, Tb, Dy), Celite, and 2.2.2-cryptand (crypt-222) were purchased from Sigma Aldrich. Crypt-222 was recrystallized from nhexane prior to use. KCp*,30 (link) (HNEt3)(BPh4),31 (link) Cp*2Ln(BPh4),26 (link) H2Bbim,32 (link) KC8 (ref. 33 (link)) and K2Bbim29 (link) were synthesized according to literature procedures.