Steric coordination number

Scheme 6. Selected steric coordination numbers according to [103]...

The use of unsubstituted or 4-methyl phenols resulted in the formation of cluster compounds [58]. However, 2,6-di(fcrt-butyl) substituted aryloxide ligands allowed the isolation of mononuclear 3-coordinate homoleptie complexes of the lanthanide elements, the coordination mode of which was first demonstrated with the N(SiMe3)2 ligand [59], The 2,6-substitution pattern is very effective because the alkyl groups are directed towards the metal center and impose a steric coordination number onto the metal which is comparable to the Cp ligand (Cp 2.49 OC6H3rBu2-2,6 2.41) [60],... 

Many complexes have more than one coordination mode of BH4 featured in their structure, e.g. [U ()9 -BH4)()9 -BH4)2(dmpe)2]. Likewise, whereas [M(BH4)4] are monomeric 12-coordinate complexes for M = Zr, Hf, Np, Pu, they are polymeric for M = Th, Pa, U the coordination number rises to 14 and each metal centre is coordinated by two r) -BH4 and four bridging r) -BH4 groups. It is clear that among the factors which determine the mode adopted are the size of the metal atom and the steric requirements of the co-ligands. Many of the complexes... 

Since the coordination number of tantalum or niobium in fluoride and oxyfluoride compounds cannot be lower than 6 due to steric limitations, further decrease of the X Me ratio (lower than 6) leads to linkage between complex ions in order to achieve coordination saturation by sharing of ligands between different central atoms of the complexes. The resulting compounds have X Me ratios between 6 and 4, and form crystals with a chain-type structure. 

The lowest coordination number of tantalum or niobium permitted by crystal chemistry formalism is 6, which corresponds to an octahedral configuration. X Me ratios that equal 3, 2 or 1 can, therefore, be obtained by corresponding substitutions in the cationic sub-lattice. A condition for such substitution is no doubt steric similarity between the second cation and the tantalum or niobium ion so as to enable its replacement in the octahedral polyhedron. In such cases, the structure of the compound consists of oxyfluoride octahedrons that are linked by their vertexes, sides or faces, according to the compound type, MeX3, MeX2 or MeX respectively. Table 37 lists compounds that have a coordination-type structure [259-261]. 

The phosphine and arsine complexes of gold(I) have been intensively studied since the early 1970s. The possibilities of coordination numbers between 2 and 4 have been explored, though the use of bulky ligands is less essential than with the isoelectronic M(PR3)2 (M = Pd, Pt) compounds and the coordination numbers depend on both steric and electronic factors [71]. 

Coordination numbers ranging from five to seven were observed, and they appeared to be controlled by the steric bulk of the supporting amidinate and coligands. Complexes 2-5 and 7 were found to be active catalysts for the pol3uneiization of D,L-lactide (e.g., with 2 and added benzyl alcohol, 1000 equiv of D,L-lactide were polymerized at room temperature in <1 h). The neutral complexes 2, 5, and 7 were more effective than the anionic complexes 3 and 4. ... 

Four-coordinate complexes exhibit lower isomer shifts than six-coordinate compounds. Metal-ligand bonds are shorter and more covalent if the coordination number is smaller because of less steric hindrance and less overlap with antibonding 2g orbitals in the case of four as compared to six bonds. 

An observation regarding HSAB theory here is that metal ions that are soft in aqueous solution must not only be able to form covalent M-L bonds, but also must have a loose enough coordination sphere to tolerate potentially adverse steric effects such as bulky donor atoms or substituents on a ligand. For a soft Zn(II) ion to be produced in zinc metalloenzymes, its coordination number must drop from six in the... 

Like the three-coordinate aluminum and gallium alkoxides, the corresponding thiolates, selenolates, and tellurolates require very bulky substituents at the chalcogen atom to ensure a low metal coordination number. In addition, the steric requirements associated with the preservation of the low coordination number at the metal are increased by the longer M—S and M—Se bond lengths. The ten examples of low-coordinate,... 

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