Internally functionalized multifaceted organochalcogen compounds.

Two families of internally functionalized multifaceted organochalcogen compounds based on flexible and rigid backbones, viz., N,N-dimethylaminoalkyl and pyridyl/pryrimidyl groups, have been designed and developed in the author's group. These compounds exhibit remarkable ligand chemistry and often show unprecedented reactivity leading to the formation of several serendipitous products. The presence of both soft (chalcogen) and hard (nitrogen) donor atoms makes them hemilabile ligands which facilitates the design of palladium based homogeneous catalysts for C-C coupling and other related reactions. Pyridyl and pyrimidyl based chalcogenolato complexes of Group 10-15 metals have been successfully employed as molecular precursors for the preparation of metal chalcogenide nano-crystals and for deposition of thin films. By making a suitable choice of chalcogenolate ligands and reaction conditions, a single phasic material can be isolated conveniently. 2-Pyridyl and 2-pyrimidyl ring systems, being important constituents of several biological molecules, several selenium based 2-pyridyl and 2-pyrimidyl compounds show promising GPx mimicking activity. The substituents at the C-3 position play a key role in governing the molecular structure as well as GPx activity.