Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry

Abstract. A structurally authenticated series of chalcogenophosphinites, R2P(ChPh) (Ch = S, Se, Te), supported by a compact tetrasilaphosphacyclopentane ba

The strontium alumanyl, [(BDI)SrAl(SiNDipp)], has been prepared from [(BDI)Sr(BPh4)] and [(SiNDipp)AlK]2. Like its previously described calcium analogue, sructural and computational analysis indicates...

We report the synthesis and comprehensive characterisation of a square-planar Si(+IV) hydride supported by an unsymmetric, trianionic and dearomatised N,N,N-pincer ligand. This system enables element...

The chemistry of the classical uranium(III) complex [U(N′′)3] (N′′ = {N(SiMe3)2}–) is well-developed, but there have been surprisingly few studies of its reactivity towards N-heterocycles. Here we report the separate reactions of [U(N′′)3] with pyrazine, ...

We describe the catalyst-free Insertion of carbon monoxide (CO) into magnesium alkyl bonds, leading exclusively to enediolate compounds through C–C coupling. Computational investigations suggest a met...

Redox catalysis promoted by molecular aluminum complexes has not been previously documented. Now in Nature, Zhang and Liu report the use of an aluminum(I) redox catalyst for the regioselective assembly of 1,2,4-substituted benzenes from terminal alkynes. This work provides a foundational blueprint for designing redox-active aluminum complexes for future homogeneous catalysis.

Oxidatively induced reductive elimination (OIRE) is a powerful strategy for the formation of carbon–carbon bonds and has been widely employed in late transition metal catalysis. In contrast, early tra...

The redox neutral carbometallation of a phospha-alkyne using the dimeric indium(I) compound (InTer)2 is reported. This reaction affords a mono-coordinate indium(I) compound that can reversibly extrud...

[(BDI)Ca-μ-H]2 (BDI = HC{(Me)CNDipp}2, Dipp = 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3), has been employed to synthesize diorganophosphido- and bis(trimethylsilyl)phosphidocalcium derivatives. Reaction with two equivalents of P...

Heteroleptic calcium β-diketiminate (BDI) complexes have been recognised as potent (pre)catalysts for a variety of transformations and have demonstrated valuable stoichiometric reactivity. Bulky ligan...

Despite more than a century of organolead chemistry, all isolable organolead compounds have thus far been confined to Pb–C single bonds. Here we disclose the synthesis, structural authentication, and ...

PhD Project - [FSE Bicentenary PhD] Controlling magnetic relaxation times in rare earth single-molecule magnets and qubits at The University of Manchester, listed on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Sustainable Catalysis with Sb and Bi Pincer Complexes at The University of Manchester, listed on FindAPhD.com

In contrast to transition elements, s- and p-block metal compounds that coordinate carbon monoxide (CO) under near-ambient conditions are elusive. Here, we report an isolable, crystalline main-group m...

Previous studies have hinted at the similarities of Mn(II) and Mg alkyl complexes. Advancing this field, here we present a comparative study of tetra(n-butyl) lithium manganate(II) and magnesiate. Com...

The alkaline earth metals are notorious for their tendency to form ionic compounds of their dications. In recent years, however, chemists have found ways to kinetically skirt around the edges of these...

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is sometimes referred to as the forgotten greenhouse gas, but ignoring it would be a mistake. N2O has a greenhouse warming potential 300× that of CO2, and anthropogenic emissions a...

p-Block complexes containing unsupported metal–metal bonds can activate small molecules via mechanisms that complement and contrast with those of d-block metal complexes. Within this compound class, A...

Reduction of MnII precursors with bulky diamide ligands provided access to a complex with the longest known Mn–Mn bond and to a rare example of N2 activation at high-spin MnI centers. While some instr...

N-Heterocyclic carbene-phosphinidenes (NHCPs) constitute a prominent class of phosphorus-donor ligands, distinguished by their dual thermodynamic and kinetic stabilization. This perspective delineates the influence of structurally and electronically tailored carbene scaffolds on the design principles of NHCP ligands, with particular emphasis on their critical role in the synthesis of main-group compounds, especially those incorporating low-valent element centers. Leveraging their unique electronic and structural characteristics, NHCP-involved main-group compounds offer an ideal platform for the synthesis of novel molecules and functional polymers.

Sequential [2+2] cycloaddition reactions between acetylene and the digallene and diindene compounds (ETer)2 (E = Ga, In; Ter = 2,6-Dipp2-C6H3; Dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) are described. Careful con...

Communications Chemistry, Published online: 05 June 2025; doi:10.1038/s42004-025-01572-5Iminophosphoranomethanide ligands have been used to stabilize metal complexes, but their application as alkyl precursors in deprotonation reactions remains unexplored. Here, the authors prepare and characterize bis- and tris- methanide alkaline and rare earth complexes through protonolysis between dibenzyl metal precursors and the CH2(SiMe3)P(Ph)2 = NSiMe3 proligand or salt elimination reactions, and show that rare earth methanides can be used as synthetic precursors for the preparation of solvent-free complexes.

Here, the addition of H–H, Be–Be, B–B, and B–H bonds to SnII is studied by experimental and theoretical means. We report the first examples of B–B and Be–Be bond additions to a main group metal centr...

Promoting societally important small molecule activation processes with earth-abundant metals is foundational for a sustainable chemistry future. In this context, mapping new reaction pathways that would enable abundant main-group elements to mimic the behaviors of d- and f-block elements is facilitated by exploring unusual oxidation states. The most abundant metal on earth, aluminum, has been well studied in the Lewis acidic +III and Lewis basic +I oxidation states but rarely in the potentially biphilic +II oxidation state until recently, when a renaissance of Al(II) chemistry emerged from a range of research groups. In this Perspective, we review the chemistry of mononuclear Al radicals, including both Al-centered radicals (i.e., Al(II) compounds) and redox non-innocent systems (i.e., formally Al(II) species that are physically Al(III) with ligand-centered radicals), with an emphasis on small molecule reactivity. We also provide a meta-analysis of the Al(II) literature to summarize how different design strategies (e.g., redox non-innocence, strained coordination geometries) have been shown to impart biphilic character to Al radicals and tune their behavior, thus allowing Al radicals to mimic the chemistry of certain d- and f-block metal ions such as Ti(III) and Sm(II). We expect these molecular design concepts to inform future Al(II) studies as the chemistry of this unusual oxidation state of Al continues to grow.