The developments in the chemistry of manganese by the use of the imido grou
p (RN2-) are reviewed with emphasis on our own work in the area. The increa
sed kinetic stability of the 'Mn(N'Bu)(3)' fragment enabled the isolation a
nd study of a good number and variety of derivatives in oxidation states V-
VII, bearing, amongst others, Mn-C, Mn-N, Mn-S and Mn-O bonds. (C) 1999 Els
evier Science S.A. All rights reserved.