Advances in Crystallography of Coordination Complexes on Main Group Metals with Amino Acid Ligands

Abstract

The study of main-group metal elements and their coordination complexes with amino acids is an important theme in coordination chemistry, but it has often been overshadowed by the intense interest in transition-metal coordination complexes. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in main-group compounds, extending across all members of sand p-blocks in the Period Table, which has resulted in the discovery of numerous new classes of compounds with previously unknown structures and bonding. Among these achievements, the coordination complexes of main group metals with amino acid ligands are especially notable. As a kind of functional ligand, amino acids set up a bridge of interdisciplinary subjects between coordination chemistry and biology. The research on coordination chemistry of main group metals with amino acid ligands will benefit to understanding of the biological effects of main group metals; developing new medicine; designing and synthesizing functional and environmental friendly materials. To achieve these targets, the structural information of these new coordination complexes is very important and it provides fundamental knowledge for more extensive investigation in the future. Therefore, this review focus on the single crystal structures of the coordination complexes of main group metals with amino acid ligands based on X-ray crystallography. Literature coverage is around the last 15 years and ends to May 2013 although some older works are also included for comparing. Specially, this article has been written to commemorate 2014 the International Year of Crystallography declared by United Nations.