Issue 1, 2024

f-Element heavy pnictogen chemistry

Abstract

The coordination and organometallic chemistry of the f-elements, that is group 3, lanthanide, and actinide ions, supported by nitrogen ligands, e.g. amides, imides, and nitrides, has become well developed over many decades. In contrast, the corresponding f-element chemisty with the heavier pnictogen analogues phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth has remained significantly underdeveloped, due largely to a lack of suitable synthetic methodologies and also the inherent hard(f-element)–soft(heavier pnictogen) acid–base mismatch, but has begun to flourish in recent years. Here, we review complexes containing chemical bonds between the f-elements and heavy pnictogens from phosphorus to bismuth that spans five decades of endeavour. We focus on complexes whose identity has been unambiguously established by structural authentication by single-crystal X-ray diffraction with respect to their synthesis, characterisation, bonding, and reactivity, in order to provide a representative overview of this burgeoning area. By highlighting that much has been achieved but that there is still much to do this review aims to inspire, focus and guide future efforts in this area.

Graphical abstract: f-Element heavy pnictogen chemistry

Associated articles

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
26 Ndz 2023
Accepted
22 Huk 2023
First published
04 N’w 2023
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2024,15, 13-45

f-Element heavy pnictogen chemistry

J. Du, P. J. Cobb, J. Ding, D. P. Mills and S. T. Liddle, Chem. Sci., 2024, 15, 13 DOI: 10.1039/D3SC05056D

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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