Hybrid amidinates and guanidinates of main group metals

Abstract Complexes of main group metals containing amidinate and guanidinate ligands with an additional functional/donor group are reviewed. Amino-, imino-, amido-, alkoxy-, phenoxy-, carboranyl- and carbene-amidinates along with metal amidinates and a heterocyclic moiety, guanidinates(1−) containing an amino group and a doubly deprotonated guanidinates reveal various structures and ligand coordination modes such as monodentate–anisobidentate–isobidentate–tridentate. The survey of chemical shifts of the central carbon atoms in 13 C NMR spectra is provided. Some of those complexes are especially applicable in ring opening polymerization of cyclic esters, lactones and polymerization of olefins.