f-Element-metal bond chemistry

Abstract

AbstractCompared to the overwhelming prevalence of f-element-carbon, -nitrogen, -oxygen or -halide ligand linkages, the use of metal-based fragments as ligands is underdeveloped. This contrasts directly to the extensively developed fields of d- and p-block metal-metal complexes, which are still burgeoning. This review outlines the development of compounds that possess polarised covalent f-element-metal bonds. For this review, the f-element is defined as (i) a group 3 metal; (ii) a lanthanide metal; (iii) the actinide metals thorium or uranium. The metal is defined as: (i) a d-block transition metal; (ii) a group 13 metal (aluminium or gallium); (iii) a group 14 metal (silicon, germanium or tin); (iv) a group 15 metal (antimony or bismuth) metal. Although silicon, germanium and antimony are traditionally classified as metalloids, they are included for completeness. We focus on complexes that have been structurally authenticated by single crystal X-ray diffraction, and we highlight novel aspects of their syntheses, properties and reactivities.