Abstract
Organometallic complexes containing non-reducing monosaccharide ligands represent a small but challenging field in modern chemistry. For the main part these compounds serve as reagents and catalysts for specific applications in enantio-selective conversions, e.g., intramolecular hydroaminations, Pauson-Khand reactions and allylic alkylations, and aminations. Furthermore, transfer-hydrogenations as well as reductions can be performed by these complexes. Medicinal applications such as anticancer and anti-inflammatory active compounds, carbon monoxide-releasing molecules and radio-pharmaceutics are also among these particular applications. Therefore, the monosaccharides have been featured with various functional and thus coordinating groups and have been established in pure organometallic chemistry. Aspects in syntheses, characterizations, molecular structures and applications of these types of sugar complexes are arranged into four groups of classical organometallic ligands: cyclopentadienyl, carbonyl, hydrocarbyl and unsaturated hydrocarbyl ligands. However, this field has not yet been investigated systematically, but structural and reactivity tendencies have clearly loomed.
©2011 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston