Pyridylthioethers: a promising class of polydentate ligands in palladium and platinum coordination

The role of bi- and ter-dentate pyridylthioether ligands in palladium and platinum coordination and organometallic chemistry is discussed. The binding ability of these ligands concerning the proton, copper and palladium is revisited. Moreover, the reactivity imparted by these ligands to several types of metal complexes in low and high oxidation states is examined. The complexes and the reactions explored are (i) allyl derivatives with respect to allyl amination (ii) olefin complexes and olefin exchange equilibrium reactions (iii) methyl derivatives and reactions of allene insertion. The synthesis of pyridylthioether-based dendrimers is also taken into account together with their solution behaviour when used as ancillary ligands in allyl metallo-dendrimer derivatives when the allylamination reactions are considered. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.