Synthesis, coordination chemistry and bonding of strong N-donor ligands incorporating the 1H-pyridin-(2E)-ylidene (PYE) motif.

A range of N-donor ligands based on the 1H-pyridin-(2E)-ylidene (PYE) motif have been prepared, including achiral and chiral examples. The ligands incorporate one to three PYE groups that coordinate to a metal through the exocyclic nitrogen atom of each PYE moiety, and the resulting metal complexes have been characterised by methods including single-crystal X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopy to examine metal-ligand bonding and ligand dynamics. Upon coordination of a PYE ligand to a proton or metal-complex fragment, the solid-state structures, NMR spectroscopy and DFT studies indicate that charge redistribution occurs within the PYE heterocyclic ring to give a contribution from a pyridinium-amido-type resonance structure.