Bispyridylamides - coordination chemistry and applications in catalytic reactions

Complexes of bis(2-pyridylamides) with most metal ions have been described. A variety of coordination modes, with the neutral or the deprotonated amide functions binding either via the carbonyl oxygen atom or the amide nitrogen atom have been identified. The modular technique used for the preparation of the compounds permits facile access to ligands with substituted pyridine nuclei and ligands with different backbones. Moreover, symmetric as well as asymmetric compounds, with equal or different pyridine rings and with symmetric or non-symmetric amines, can conveniently be prepared. Chiral derivatives are easily obtained starting from chiral diamines. Several metal complexes have been studied as mimics of biological systems. In recent years a variety of metal complexes have also been employed in catalysis. Oxidations of alkanes and alkenes have been particularly well studied, although modest reactivity has usually been encountered. Other applications include their use as ligands in Lewis acid catalyzed processes. Recently, it was shown that complexes with molybdenum catalyze highly regio- and enantioselective allylic alkylations. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.