Ligand K-Edge XAS Studies of Metal-Phosphorus Bonds: Applications, Limitations, and Opportunities

Abstract

Phosphorus K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a highly effective experimental method for investigating metal-phosphorus bonding and electronic structure. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of P K-edge XAS studies of transition metal complexes and show how they were used to investigate a wide range of chemical phenomena, including covalent metal-ligand bonding, redox non-innocence in ligands, molecular magnetism, and luminescence. Limitations of the technique are discussed along with opportunities for future work.