| Coordination chemistry is essential in the creation of modern materials including molecular magnets, ceramic materials, and catalysts. Despite the progress made in this field, large areas remain unexplored and there is a continual need for improving pre-existing systems. This provides the impetus for fundamental research focused on coordination complexes, the outcomes of which enrich the field by providing new facets of structure, bonding, and reactivity.;A synthesis of novel hybrid boraamidinate/amidinate (bamam) ligands was developed. These hybrid ligands provide a rare example of changing the elements in the nacnac backbone through the replacement of C-C by an isoelectronic B-N unit. The coordination chemistry of protio and lithio bamam derivatives with magnesium is explored. Mg-based nacnac complexes are active initiators for the production of polylactide (PLA), a biodegradable polymer. Preliminary investigations of the behaviour of the Mg-based bamam complexes in this process are described and certain derivatives are shown to be active initiators. The coordination chemistry of the bamam ligand is in its early stages, and further exciting developments can be anticipated.;Two common ligands studied in coordination chemistry are the amidinates (ams) and beta-diketiminates (nacnacs), which have been studied extensively as polymerization catalysts. The primary focus of this dissertation is the coordination chemistry of the boraamidinate ( bam) ligand, an isoelectronic analogue of the am, whose coordination chemistry is in its infancy. The syntheses and structural characterization of the first examples of monomeric symmetric or asymmetric dilithio derivatives, and magnesium, zinc, and Group 13 bam complexes are reported. In addition, spirocyclic aluminum and gallium bam complexes have been shown to form rare examples of stable neutral radicals, which were characterized in the solid state by X-ray crystallography and in solution by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). These investigations enabled fundamental comparisons to be drawn between the monoanionic am and dianionic bam ligands. The primary difference is the facile formation of monoanionic radicals by the bam systems leading to paramagnetic metal complexes, a property that is of interest in the design of magnetic materials. |
