Nucleophilic Attack on Coordinated Ligands

Abstract

Reactions of nucleophiles with transition metal complexes are useful in the preparation of new metal complexes. Unsaturated ligands such as C≡O, isonitriles, olefins, dienes, and arenes are not normally reactive towards nucleophiles. When these ligands or molecules are coordinated to an electron-deficient metal they become activated towards nucleophilic attack. The factors which facilitate nucleophilic attack on a coordinated ligands are (i) formal positive charge on the metal, (ii) coordination of π acceptor ligands, (iii) the metal should be coordinatively saturated. and (iv) high reactivity of the nucleophile