Catalysis with Multinuclear Complexes

Catalysis with binuclear and multinuclear metal complexes provides an alternative paradigm to the single-site catalysis motif that typically prevails in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis. In this chapter, the concepts used to support the multinuclear catalysis paradigm are considered. Stoichiometric bimetallic reaction steps that are necessary to build closed catalytic cycles are highlighted, including bifunctional small-molecule activation and bimetallic analogs of oxidative addition and reductive elimination. Examples of successful bimetallic catalysis using these fundamental bimetallic reaction steps are given. The connection of these bimetallic concepts with multimetallic systems is discussed.