1,1'-Biisoquinolines-Neglected Ligands in the Heterocyclic Diimine Family That Provoke Stereochemical Reflections.

1,1'-Biisoquinolines are a class of bidentate nitrogen donor ligands in the heterocyclic diimine family. This review briefly discusses their properties and the key synthetic pathways available and then concentrates upon their coordination behaviour. The ligands are of interest as they exhibit the phenomenon of atropisomerism (hindered rotation about the C1-C1' bond). A notation for depicting the stereochemistry in coordination compounds containing multiple stereogenic centers is developed. The consequences of the chirality within the ligand on the coordination behaviour is discussed in detail.