Modular Routes Towards New N,O‐Bidentate Ligands Containing an Electronically Delocalised β‐Enaminone Chelating Backbone

Polyketones are synthesised by a transition-metal-catalysed copolymerisation of olefins and carbon monoxide. Nickel complexes with N,O-chelating ligands turned out to be promising catalysts in that field. In this work a series of new N,O ligands with an electronically delocalised β-enaminone backbone were synthesised and fully characterised. The ligand design was inspired by the ligand found in the most efficient nickel catalyst for polyketone synthesis and developed to a highly modular LEGO®-like arsenal of reactions to versatile substituted β-enaminone ligands. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)