The unique β-diketiminate ligand in aluminum() and gallium() chemistry

Over the past few decades, β-diketiminate ligands have been widely used in coordination chemistry and are capable of stabilizing various metal complexes in multiple oxidation states. Recently, the chemistry of aluminum and gallium in their +1 oxidation state has rapidly emerged. NacNacM( i ) (M = Al, Ga; NacNac = β-diketiminate ligand) shows a two coordinate metal center comparable with singlet carbene-like species. The metal center also possesses a formally vacant p-orbital. In this article we present an overview of the last 10 years for aluminum( i ) and gallium( i ) stabilized by β-diketiminate ligands that have been widely explored in bond breaking and forming species. Herein we present an overview of the last 10 years for aluminum( i ) and gallium( i ) stabilized by β-diketiminate ligands that undergo a series of oxidative addition reactions with molecules containing single and multiple bonds.