Coordination complexes of silicon and germanium halides with neutral ligands

The coordination chemistry of silicon(IV) and (II) and germanium(IV) and (II) halides with neutral donor ligands from groups 15 (N, P or As) and 16(O, S or Se) is reviewed: N-heterocyclic carbene complexes are also included. The focus is mainly on results published after 1990 and illustrates that significant recent developments have been made in the coordination chemistry of low-valent silicon and germanium halide complexes in particular; this is expected to pave the way for much new reaction chemistry both from a fundamental and application-driven perspective. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.