Recent advances in well-defined, late transition metal complexes that make and/or break C–N, C–O and C–S bonds

Abstract

Chemical transformations that result in either the formation or cleavage of carbon–heteroatom bonds are among the most important processes in the chemical sciences. Herein, we present a review on the reactivity of well-defined, late-transition metal complexes that result in the making and breaking of C–N, C–O and C–S bonds via fundamental organometallic reactions, i.e. oxidative addition, reductive elimination, insertion and elimination reactions. When appropriate, emphasis is placed on structural and spectroscopic characterization techniques, as well as mechanistic data.