Multidentate actor ligands as versatile platforms for small molecule activation and catalysis

Abstract

This review discusses the use of multidentate actor ligands as new inroads to small molecule activation and catalysis. Bio-inspired strategies such as the use of redox-active ligands, metal–ligand cooperation, and hemilabile ligands will be examined as they relate to functional actor ligands and their design. The application of new concepts of reactivity such as the use of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) in actor ligand design will also be discussed. The focus of the discussion of metal–ligand cooperation will be on long-range cooperation between the metal and a remote reactive site on the ligand. In addition to metal–ligand cooperation, ligand-based reactivity in the presence of a spectator metal centre will be examined. Small molecules of particular interest in this review will include but not be limited to H₂, O₂, CO₂, alcohols, silanes, and alkenes/alkynes.