Transition Metal Complexes for Small Molecule Bond Activation
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Organic Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 5
Special Issue Editors
Interests: homogeneous catalysis; organometallic chemistry; mechanistic studies; bond activation; transition metal complexes
Interests: catalysis; organic synthesis; organometallics; iron and cobalt chemistry; CH activation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Bond activation in small molecules by transition metal complexes is a well-established process and a cornerstone in the development of catalytic methods for small molecule functionalization. In recent years, the discovery of new strategies for bond activation has significantly advanced the field, enabling the activation of particularly inert bonds and the construction of increasingly complex molecular architectures. The growing synergy between classical and emerging strategies is now enabling the activation of strong bonds in small molecules using transition metal complexes.
This Special Issue aims to gather original research articles and reviews focused on the synthesis and reactivity of homogeneous transition metal complexes capable of activating strong bonds in small molecules—such as H–H, C–H, C–C, C–O and C–X (X = F, Cl, Br, I) —among others. Emphasis will be placed on how classical bond-cleavage strategies are being integrated into modern complex design, as well as on the development of contemporary activation mechanisms including—but not limited to—chemical and electronic metal–ligand cooperation, metal–metal cooperation, and second coordination sphere interactions. Submissions describing catalytic applications in which stoichiometric bond activation events are leveraged to enable catalytic small molecule functionalization are also highly encouraged.
Dr. Rebeca Arevalo Seco
Prof. Dr. Michael Findlater
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- transition metal complex
- bond activation
- small molecule
- functionalization
- oxidative addition
- metal–ligand and metal–metal cooperation
- second coordination sphere interactions
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