Using Electrochemical Information for Organometallic Coordination Chemistry: Stoichiometric and Catalytic Reactions

Following a brief comment on the particular electrochemical behaviour of transition and main group organometallics we illustrate several synthetically relevant applications of cyclic voltammetry, mainly by example of carbonyl complexes of group 6 and 7 metals with it acceptor ligands. Such applications include the discovery of stable oxidation states and guidelines to their chemical generation as well the determination of electronic structures. Synthetically useful consequences of electron transfer such as the tendency towards coordinative saturation, isomerization reactions, and (catalytic) substitutional activation can be evident from cyclic voltammetry and may be correlated with the electrochemical data in ways that allow the rational planning of non-electrochemical reactions.