Cerocene is a organometallic complex with the chemical formula Ce(C8H8)2. It is a sandwich compound containing a central cerium atom and two cyclooctatetraenide rings.
Preparation.
Cerocene can be prepared by reducing cerium(III) di-cyclooctatraene anion salts.
 Ce(C8H8)2K → Ce(C8H8)2 + K+
Chemical properties.
Cerocene decomposes when exposed to water or oxygen to yield non-stoichiometric cerium-oxides and cyclooctratraene derivitives.
It undergoes a disproportionation, leading to an equilibrium between cerocene and a double-decker structure containing two cerium atoms:
2 Ce(C8H8)2 Ce2(C8H8)3 + C8H8
Related compounds.
Cerocene is a known precursor for uranocene, U(C8H8)2.
Ce(C8H8)2 + UCl3 U(C8H8)2
Cerocene is commonly confused with the compound tris(cyclopentadienyl)cerium.