Multi-electron transformations featuring late first-row transition metals are both particularly challenging and interesting. Utilizing various ligand designs we have discovered routes to enable two-electron redox processes on earth-abundant metals. These transformations feature inorganic oxyanions which have long been touted for their inertness and are generally considered to be non-complexing anions, poor nucleophiles and kinetically inert to oxidation and reduction. A series multi-dentate ligand frameworks containing both hydrogen bond donating and accepting moieties in the secondary coordination sphere have been synthesized and reactivity will be described. Using a strong-field ligand bis(carbene) ligand platform we have been able to demonstrate two-electron redox reactions on both cobalt and nickel complexes to access relatively rare organometallic species that are capable of a variety of catalytic transformations.
Alison Fout, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Ligand influences on earth-abundant metals for multi-electron transformations