So-called non-innocent ligands can take part in redox reactions. Martin Bröring and colleagues, Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany, have prepared nickel, palladium, and copper complexes of one such ligand, hexaethyltripyrrindione. In these complexes, the ligand acts as a radical dianion.

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• Hexaethyltripyrrindione (H₃Et₆tpd): A Non-Innocent Ligand Forming Stable Radical Complexes with Divalent Transition-Metal Ions,
  Stefanie Bahnmüller, Jacqueline Plotzitzka, Dirk Baabe, Birte Cordes, Dirk Menzel, Katharina Schartz, Peter Schweyen, Richard Wicht, Martin Bröring,
  Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2016, 2016, 4761–4768.
  DOI: 10.1002/ejic.201600934
• Video: Non-innocent ligands give transition metals a helping hand
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