Enhancing the Reactivity of Highly Reducing β-Diketiminato Magnesium(I) Systems Towards Organic Molecules Through Ligand Modification and Improved Methodologies

This thesis expands the extensive known reactivity of β-diketiminato magnesium(I) dimer systems. The examination of previously proposed catalysis involving magnesium(I) dimers is explored and re-evaluated. Furthermore, the synthesis of new sterically demanding β-diketiminate ligands and their complexes are detailed, as well as novel irradiative methodology, which increases the reactivity of magnesium(I) dimers towards inert substrates previously thought to be unreactive with these compounds. The activation of these inert substrates could lead to new synthetic methodology for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, materials and will help further understand the fundamental chemistry of these highly reactive systems.