Cluster Chemistry of Bimetallic Carbonyl Complexes
Summary
Bimetallic carbonyl clusters occupy a central place in modern inorganic chemistry, combining rich structural diversity with finely tunable electronic properties. These assemblies consist of two metal centres bridged and/or capped by carbonyl ligands, often supplemented by ancillary phosphines, stannyls or other donor groups. The mutual interaction of the metal centres gives rise to metal–metal bonding, fluxional behaviour and unique redox characteristics that can be harnessed for small-molecule activation, catalysis and materials science. Recent advances have focused on precise control of metal-metal distances, the role of heterometallic combinations in cooperative reactivity and the use of photochemical or electrochemical methods to generate reactive intermediates. Applications span from selective hydrogenation and carbon dioxide reduction to radical-mediated C–X bond formation. Developments in spectroscopic methods, notably time-resolved infrared studies of CO stretching frequencies, alongside X-ray crystallography and quantum-chemical modelling, have deepened our understanding of bonding patterns and dynamic processes. Globally, these findings offer routes to sustainable catalytic systems and insights into fundamental processes relevant to organometallic and materials chemistry.
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Cluster Chemistry of Bimetallic Carbonyl Complexes publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in cluster chemistry of bimetallic carbonyl complexes across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Bimetallic carbonyl complex: A compound containing two metal centres bound by carbon monoxide ligands.
Cluster: A discrete assembly of metal atoms sharing direct bonds and bridged ligands.
Bridging ligand: A ligand that connects two or more metal centres simultaneously.
Fluxionality: Dynamic exchange of ligand positions or bonding modes within a complex.
Homolytic cleavage: Bond breaking that produces two radical fragments, each containing one of the originally bonded atoms.
References
- Photochemical synthesis and radical generation of the nickel-tin dimer [Ni(SnBut 3)(CNBut)2(CO)]2. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry (2021).
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