Coordination chemistry of ligands bearing heavy group 14 and 15 elements: Comparative analysis of their influence on transition metal chemistry

Abstract

Interest in developing new ligand platforms beyond utilizing conventional elements like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphorus is growing. In particular, the heavier analogs of the lighter counterpart elements, such as germanium, tin, antimony, and bismuth, manifest distinct chemical properties and are progressively employed in creating new ligands for transition metal catalysis. This review addresses recent developments in ligands containing heavy elements from group 14 (Ge and Sn) and group 15 (As, Sb, and Bi) as coordinating atoms. It highlights the interactions between transition metals and these new ligands, comparing them with their lighter counterparts, and emphasizes the resulting differences in reactivity.