One coordinate carbon and boron: Universal progenitor ligands

Organometallic chemistry concerns bonds between a metal and carbon (C)-based ligands yet only recently has the simplest such ligand, a single atom of carbon ( carbido ), been observed; these remain extremely rare. For the lighter element boron (B), a borido ligand has yet to be discovered. In principle these two simplest ligands could serve as the progenitors for any C- or B-based ligand whilst single atoms of C or B bridging two metal centres would allow electronic communication across the C or B bridges. This proposal addresses, in concert, the systematic development of terminal carbon and (unknown) boron chemistry. Novel routes are proposed which involve the development of new areas of organometallic and metallo-boron chemistry.