Cation–cation bonding in nitrenium metal complexes

Abstract

Nitrenium ligands provide an excellent platform for the straightforward and efficient synthesis of extremely rare complexes that possess positively charged ligands coordinated to positively charged metals. Examples of stable cation–cation and cation–dication coordination bonds are demonstrated. Computational studies show that such bonding is greatly stabilized by its incorporation into a tridentate frame, as well as the use of polar solvents.