Dinuclear Organometallic Cluster Complexes

Abstract

Metal–metal bonding in dinuclear complexes plays a key role in inorganic and organometallic chemistry. It is the basis for development of polymers and clusters derived from this simple unit. Its chemistry now approaches the ‘functional group’ status, typically used in organic chemistry for classes of compounds. However, owing to the array of metals and oxidation states involved, a wide range of structures, reactions, and properties are observed for this important class of compounds. This article introduces the topic of metal–metal bonded complexes and attempts to outline the synthetic strategies used to prepare metal–metal bonded complexes, some of their characteristic properties and reactions, as well as to provide a brief introduction to historical development and emerging directions of this central area of inorganic chemistry.