When the Metal Makes the Difference: Template Syntheses of Tridentate and Tetradentate Salen-Type Schiff Base Ligands and Related Complexes

The reaction of organic molecules mediated by a metal center (template synthesis) can result in final connectivity that may differ from the one obtained absence metal. condensation carbonyl fragments with primary amines form C=N iminic bonds, so-called Schiff bases, which act as ligands for templating means lone pair on nitrogen atom. This review focuses template methods between compound (mainly salicylaldehyde) and aliphatic diamine able to prevent double both amine groups obtain tridentate N2O ligands. These adducts, still having free amino group, further react, yielding tetradentate salen-type base A screening over transition metals show such effect will be presented, particular attention copper(II), together their peculiar reactivity available crystal structure complexes related coordination geometries.