Clathrochelate

The synthesis entails replacement of the hydrogen-bonded proton center with BF2+ or BOR2+ group:[2] Also well known are the clathrochelates called sepulchrates derived from tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III):[3] The insertion and removal of metals from the binding pocket of clathrochelates can be very slow.

These reactions often do not directly break any metal-ligand bonds, but occur in the second coordination sphere.

The slowness of the metal ion exchange enables certain experiments that would otherwise be difficult or impossible.

In the absence of the special geometry imposed by the clathrochelate, the lifetime of Co(II)-amine complexes is typically very short.

In this way, this family of complexes enables studies on self-exchange redox reactions between Co(II) and Co(III) partners that would be impossible with simpler ligand systems.