A new class of PN3-pincer ligands for metal–ligand cooperative catalysis

• Published in: Coordination chemistry reviews Vol. 293-294; pp. 116 - 138
• Main Authors: Li, Huaifeng, Zheng, Bin, Huang, Kuo-Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.06.2015
• Subjects: Dearomatization; Dehydrogenation; Hydrogenation; Metal–ligand cooperative catalysis; N–H bond; PN3-pincer ligand; N–H bond; Dearomatization; Metal–ligand cooperative catalysis; Dehydrogenation; Hydrogenation; PN3-pincer ligand
• ISSN: 0010-8545; 1873-3840
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2014.11.010

•Introduction of PN3-pincer ligands for metal–ligand cooperative catalysis.•Preparation and coordination chemistry of PN3-pincer ligands.•Focus review on the role of dearomatization–rearomatization processes.•Mechanistic insights form DFT calculations for thermodynamic and kinetic considerations. Work on a new class of PN3-pincer ligands for metal–ligand cooperative catalysis is reviewed. While the field of the pyridine-based PN3-transition metal pincer complexes is still relatively young, many important applications of these complexes have already emerged. In several cases, the PN3-pincer complexes for metal–ligand cooperative catalysis result in significantly improved or unprecedented activities. The synthesis and coordination chemistry of PN3-pincer ligands are briefly summarized first to cover the synthetic routes for their preparation, followed by a focus review on their applications in catalysis. A specific emphasis is placed on the later section about the role of PN3-pincer ligands’ dearomatization–rearomatization steps during the catalytic cycles. The mechanistic insights from density functional theory (DFT) calculations are also discussed.