Advances in beryllium coordination chemistry

Beryllium has a unique combination of properties which has made it a vital component in a wide range of technical sectors and consumer industries. However, beryllium is extremely toxic and can cause chronic beryllium disease, for which there is no current cure. The toxicity of beryllium has limited the exploration of its chemistry, and as a result beryllium chemistry is underdeveloped in comparison to other alkaline earth metals. The development of selective chelating agents for beryllium has become paramount. Beryllium prefers tetrahedral coordination to 'hard' donor ligands and is most stable when coordinated in six-membered chelate rings. This review provides a description of reported ligands for beryllium and a comparison of their binding strengths with particular emphasis on donor ligands and binding modes and requirements for effective coordination of beryllium.