Coordination complexes of bismuth(III) involving organic ligands with pnictogen or chalcogen donors

Publisher Summary The chapter presents an overview of the structural diversity demonstrated by complexes of bismuth(III) with organic-based ligands involving the elements of Groups 15 (pnictogens) and 16 (chalcogens) as donor sites, recognizing the potential for tailoring structure and reactivity by manipulation of the organic moiety. Although most complexes of bismuth obey standard valence guidelines, the high and variable coordination numbers accessible to bismuth are responsible for interesting and unpredictable structural arrangements. The formulas of well-defined bismuth compounds are presented to outline the type and extent of characterization data available for each, enabling assessment of the significance and relevance of the observations regarding synthesis and reactivity. Some of the structural features are described in detail to illustrate the novelty or generality of a particular arrangement. A diverse coordination chemistry is emerging for bismuth(III) made possible by a spacious and flexible coordination environment, allowing for coordination numbers in excess of 9.