What does it really take to stabilize complexes of late transition metalswith terminal oxo ligands?

Abstract

Surprisingly stable: Noble-metal complexes with terminal oxo ligands are frequently postulated as intermediates, but they are generally considered elusive, as their d electrons destabilize the M=O units. Until recently, the isolation of such compounds was thought to require strong acceptor ligands, but now a remarkably stable P1=O complex has been obtained employing a simple pincer ligand. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.