Vanadium, niobium and tantalum

Abstract

The author considers the synthetic highlights of 2005 to include the isolation of {cyclo-EP₂} triangles [E = Ge, Sn, Pb] from terminal niobium phosphides and a simple synthetic route to terminal TaO bonds. The continued application of compounds containing these elements as reagents and catalysts has also resulted in significant advances, including the utilization of molecular oxygen in the asymmetric oxidation of α-hydroxy esters and the application of simple Nb^III salts in the synthesis of 1,1,2-trisubstituted-1H-indenes.