Ligands

Interlocking between non-trivial molecular knots provides a route to topologically complex mechanically interlocked molecules. Now, a topologically chiral prime link with 14 crossings is synthesized in a stereoselective manner through the quadruple interlocking of two homochiral trefoil knots.

Precursors for the release of phosphorus mononitride in solution under mild conditions have remained elusive. Now, an explosive anthracene-stabilized azidophosphine has shown PN transfer reactivity in the synthesis of an Fe–NP complex. The PN ligand is N-bonded, as the Fe–N interaction shows significant covalent character and a less unfavourable Pauli repulsion than its Fe–P counterpart.

Catalytic transformations of methane frequently involve the formation of a metal–methane complex, but these compounds are challenging to observe. Now, a relatively long-lived osmium–methane complex has been characterized using NMR spectroscopy and forms from the direct binding of methane to a photolytically generated, coordinatively unsaturated cationic osmium–carbonyl complex dissolved in an inert hydrofluorocarbon solvent at –90 °C.

Copper hydrides have been studied for their exciting structural chemistry and applications in hydrogenation catalysis. Here, the authors uncover the role of the amidinate ligand in yielding two closely related copper hydride clusters with quite different catalytic hydrogenation activity.

Ion pairing is ubiquitous in low-dielectric-constant solvents, but whether it influences the reactivity of common cationic photoredox catalysts has been unclear. However, it has now been shown that ion pairing is responsible for a 4-fold modulation in reactivity in a prototypical Ir(III) complex and is explained by excited-state ion-pair reorganization.

The number of metal complexes featuring gold-germanium bonds is limited. Here the authors report the preparation of germylene-bridged digold complexes complexes and study their structure, bonding, and reactivity.