Coordination chemistry and applications of versatile 4,5-diazafluorene derivatives

This perspective review will examine the coordination chemistry and applications of metal complexes of 4,5-diazafluorene derivatives. The versatile derivatives of 4,5-diazafluorene can serve multiple roles, and display a number of coordination modes. The ambidentate derivatives with multiple coordination sites can allow for the syntheses of coordination polymers, multimetallic, and macrocyclic complexes. In addition, certain 4,5-diazafluorene derivatives can serve as spectator ligands to support reactivity at the metal centre, or as reactive actor ligands engaging in atypical reactivity patterns. The applications of metal complexes of 4,5-diazafluorene derivatives in catalysis, photochemistry and photophysics, as well as in bioinorganic chemistry are also surveyed. This review article highlights the versatile nature of 4,5-diazafluorene derivatives as ligands, and details some recent advances made using this ligand family.