1,1'-Di(heteroatom)-functionalised ferrocenes as [N,N], [O,O] and [S,S] chelate ligands in transition metal chemistry.

Dppf is one of the most useful and popular ligands in coordination chemistry. Its overwhelming success has overshadowed and arguably even delayed the development and use of closely related ferrocene-based ligands with two ligating N, O or S atoms. Recently, however, dynamic progress concerning such homo-donor ligands can be noted. This tutorial review describes the main results obtained over the past decade in order to introduce the reader to an exciting field which currently shows particularly rapid development. The material is organised in sections according to ligand type, followed by a section which summarises the applications reported so far.