Structural diversity in oligonuclear nickel(II) complexes of unsymmetrical compartmental ligands

Coordination chemistry has been used to provide model compounds to simulate the first coordination sphere present at metallobiosites. There is also a synergistic relationship between coordination chemistry and bioinorganic chemistry in that knowledge retrieved from crystallographic studies on metallobiosites can be used to inspire the generation of new chemistry based on the coordination environments at these sites. It is in this aspect that urea has served as a muse for the coordination chemist and some of the resulting bio-inspired chemistry concerning the generation of dinuclear, trinuclear and tetranuclear nickel(II) complexes of unsymmetrical compartmental Schiff base ligands is the subject of this mini-review.