Formazanate as redox-active, structurally versatile ligand platform: Zinc and boron chemistry

Redox-active ligands are ligand platforms that can actively participate in the redox changes during chemical reactions by accepting or donating electrons from or to substrates. Utilizing this special feature, metal centers coordinated by redox-active ligands avoid reaching unstable oxidation states during chemical redox processes. Thus, such complexes can perform catalytic redox reactions that are not possible with conventional ligands. The research of redox-active ligands is getting more and more attention today; this is due to its potential of replacing precious metals in (homogeneous) catalysis with base metals. The ligand systems presented in this thesis are based on the formazan framework, which is a nitrogen-rich analogue of well-known b-diketimine ligands. The thesis focuses on Zn and B complexes and uses them to understand the chemical and physical properties of formazanate ligands. The results presented in this thesis establish a strong basis for future research into new (catalytic) chemistry mediated by complexes with redox-active formazanate ligands.