Dicatechol ligands: novel building-blocks for metallo-supramolecular chemistry

The self-assembly of helicate-type coordination compounds from oligodentate ligands and two or more metal ions is an important part of metallo-supramolecular chemistry. The design of appropriate ligands, the fascinating structures of the self-assembled coordination compounds and the understanding of the mechanisms of metal-directed self-assembly processes are topics which have recently come into the focus of attention. In this paper the formation, characterization and some properties of helicate-type compounds which are formed from oligo-catechol ligands are described.