Molecular Structure of Metal Enolates

Abstract

Ligand properties such as coordination activity, bond length and orientation of donor atoms are among the key functions in designing organic structures. β-Diketones and their metal complexes are among the first groups studied. Numerous classes of various metal complexes are the product of their versatility and flexibility to adopt different coordination modes. They typically act in monoanionic form as bidentate oxygen donor in enol form or in keto form as neutral molecule. In that form ligand coordination can take place through the carbon atom or as a monodentate oxygen donor in enol form, or as bridging ligand donor.