Inorganic Ligand Systems
An area of interest is that of new heavy main group metal tris(4-pyridyl) ligands E(4-py)3 (E=Sb, Bi) build into topologically complex MOFs. The bridgehead atom plays an important role in structure direction. The E(4-py)3 ligands can function as pyramidal or tetrahedral nodes, an ability that is modulated by the Lewis basicity (stereochemical activity) of the Group 15 element.
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Uncovering the Hidden Landscape of Tris(4-pyridyl) Ligands: Topological Complexity Derived from the Bridgehead
Jessica E. Waters, Georg Berger, Dr. Andrew J. Peel, Dr. Raúl García-Rodríguez, Dr. Andrew D. Bond, Prof. Dominic S. Wright, Chem. Eur. J. 2021, 27, 12036; DOI:10.1002/chem.202101291
The design of new types of organic ligands has been central to the development of coordination, organometallic and supramolecular chemistry in the past millennium. The development of synthetic strategies to inorganic counterparts, containing non-carbon backbones is a major challenge but is one that offers the potential for new discovery and applications. We recently have been increasingly interested in developing novel areas of inorganic supramolecular chemistry. For example, new types of inorganic macrocycle based on non-carbon frameworks such as the pentamer 1 which has a unique ability to H-bond to organic p-systems as a result of the high polarity of the N-H bonds.
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Guest Binding via N−H⋅⋅⋅π Bonding and Kinetic Entrapment by an Inorganic Macrocycle
Alex J. Plajer, Felix J. Rizzuto, Hao‐Che Niu, Sanha Lee, Jonathan M. Goodman, Dominic S. Wright, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2019, 58, 10655; DOI:10.1002/anie.201905771.