Bis(oxalato)chromium(III) complexes: Versatile tectons in designing heterometallic coordination compounds

The mononuclear oxalato-containing chromium(III) complexes of general formula [Cr(AA)(C2O4)2]− (AA = α-diimine type ligand) are able to produce a large variety of heterometallic complexes by acting as ligands towards either fully solvated metal ions or preformed cationic complexes with available coordination sites. This review focuses on the structural diversity of the polynuclear complexes (oligonuclear and coordination polymers) which are generated by the bis(oxalato)chromate(III) species, with a special emphasis to their magnetic properties.