Complexes featuring tridentate iminophosphorane ligands: Synthesis, reactivity, and catalysis

Even if iminophosphoranes (R3P = NR′) were described more than a century ago they remain much less investigated in coordination chemistry than phosphine or N-heterocyclic based ligands, while they present like the latter a strong electron-donor ability. The variety of complexes supported by tridentate iminophosphorane (PN) ligands is reviewed based on the nature of the coordination sites and their reactivity and/or catalytic applications are discussed.