Editorial [Hot Topic:Organometallic Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry and Catalysis thematic (Guest Editor: Julio Perez)]

The Number 16, 2007 Organometallic Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry and Catalysis thematic issue of Current Organic Chemistry comprises five review papers having synthesis, reactivity and applications of metal complexes as the unifying theme. Organometallic catalysis, activation of C-H and C-C bonds, cooperation of hydrogen bonds and metals, recognition and selective cleavage of nucleic acids by metal-based systems, and the luminiscence of lanthanide complexes are some of the topics dealt with in this issue. Andrei N. Vedernikov (University of Maryland, USA) authored Recent advances in the platinum-mediated C-H bond functionalization. Metal-mediated C-H activation is a topic of intense research activity, and one that has been the subject of several previous reviews. Most of the 79 references of the present paper come from the 2005-06 period. The Pt(II)-catalyzed oxidation of methane by stoichiometric hexachloroplatinic (IV) acid in water to MeOH or MeCl (Shilov reaction) was historically important in homogeneous C-H functionalization by metal complexes. Subsequent efforts to use practical oxidants, protect the products from overoxidation, achieve high activity, and employ mild conditions, continue up to the present time. Examples of catalytic formation of C-O, C-C and C-Si bonds, and functionalization of relevant Pt-C bonds are discussed, as well as selectivity issues and mechanistic studies. Finally, current efforts to improve the design of Pt catalysts for C-H activation based on mechanistic information and theoretical calculations are summarized. Ola F. Wendt (Lund University, Sweden) wrote Transmetallation reactions involving group 10 metals, an account that focuses on the transfer of an organic group from a main group metal (including boron and group 12 metals) to group 10 metals. The paper provides an overview of two areas that have been dealt with separately in most previous publications: (a) applications of the stoichiometric transmetallation reaction to the synthesis of group 10 organometallic complexes, and (b) transmetallation as one step of the group 10-catalyzed cross-coupling between organic electrophiles and main group (mainly B, Si and Sn) nucleophiles. Juan C. Mareque Rivas (University of Edinburgh, UK) is the author of the review Cooperation of metals and hydrogen bonding groups in metal-promoted reactions. Selected examples are used to illustrate how the presence of groups able to participate in the formation of hydrogen bonds can contribute to a higher efficiency of metal-based catalysts, in an approach to the mode of action of enzymes. While most examples are taken from areas reminiscent of the activity of some enzymes (peptide and phosphodiester bonds, the reaction of carbon dioxide and water, or oxidations catalyzed by metal complexes, notably by iron-porphyrin complexes), others come from reactions that are typically catalyzed by organometallic complexes. Akinori Kuzuya (New York University, USA) and Makoto Komiyama* (University of Tokyo, Japan) wrote Site-selective Artificial Ribonucleases and Their Applications. In this case, the target of the artificial nucleases is RNA, and the emphasis is on systems in which the elements, the “sequence-recognizing moieties” (that bind to a particular region of RNA), and the “molecular scissors” (either a metal complex or a metal-free polyamine) that catalyze RNA hydrolysis) are not covalently bonded. Applications to genotyping are discussed. Ana de Bettencourt-Dias (Syracuse University; currently at the University of Nevada, Reno, USA) contributed Small Molecule Luminiscent Lanthanide Ion Complexes-Photophysical Characterization and Recent Developments. This paper provides an introduction to the luminiscence displayed by lanthanide ions and their complexes and some of their most important applications. Then, recent examples of the solid state structure of the complexes of the Ln3+ ions (which often reach high coordination numbers) with a variety of ligands (that also act as sensitizers), their solution speciation, and the luminiscent behavior are discussed. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to help in putting together this issue. I wish to express my deepest appreciation to the authors, and to the many anonymous reviewers, for their great job.