Transition metal complexes with polydentate amido ligands: novel structural building blocks and chemical reagents

Polydentate amido ligands have recently been widely employed in the coordination chemistry of the early transition metals and the heavy p-block elements. Formally, trianionic tripodal amides have provided the key to a systematic program of complex synthesis aimed at the construction of di- or trinuclear compounds through direct metalmetal bonding. These include unsupported, metalmetal bonded early–late heterodimetallic complexes as well as a wide range of transition-metal-Group 14 complexes. These developments as well as the application of C3-chiral complexes in stereoselective alkylations of organic carbonyl compounds will be reviewed in this article. An extension of the underlying principles of ligand design to a new class of diamidopyridine ligands will also be highlighted.