INTRAMOLECULAR COORDINATION IN GROUP-3 AND LANTHANIDE CHEMISTRY - AN OVERVIEW

The presence of potentially intramolecularly coordinating substituents in ligands can be an attractive alternative to steric bulk as an appr oach to stabilizing monomeric, solvent-free complexes of Lewis-acidic metal complexes. In addition, intramolecular coordination has proven t o be a useful tool for the preparation of well-defined mixed-metal com plexes. This paper gives an overview of the various types of ligands c ontaining intramolecularly coordinating substituents that have been us ed in complexes with Group 3 and lanthanide metals, Emphasis is put on the synthesis of such complexes and on an analysis of the intramolecu lar coordination present. Their (potential) applications as catalysts in organic transformations and as precursors for lanthanide-oxide-cont aining ceramics are described.