The synthesis, structure and coordination chemistry of chelating ligands bearing sulfur-containing pendant groups.

We are currently interested in synthesizing new ligands with sulfur-containing pendant groups and investigating the structures that can be formed upon coordination to transition metals. Phosphadiazanes are a class of bidentate ligands that provide two phosphorus donors to a transition metal. Phosphadizanes are generated by the reaction between a primary amine and a phosphine chloride. By altering the identity of either component, a variety of ligands can be synthesized bearing varying steric and electronic properties. Recently, we have been using novel Schiff-base ligands derived from salicylaldehyde bearing a mercaptoimidazole pendant group (Below, Right). X-ray diffraction data has allowed us to investigate the coordination chemistry of these new ligands with a variety of transition metals. The hope is that these ligands can be used as scaffolds for interesting 2D and 3D structures in the solid-state.