TABLE OF CONTENTS

This perspective examines the state-of-the-art of catalysis by metal nanoparticles. We outline various methods for preparing metal nanoparticle suspensions, and highlight the role of the stabilizers and the stabilizing principles. Subsequently, we examine some catalytic applications of homometallic and bimetallic nanoparticle suspensions in a variety of reactions. The cases are divided according to the stabilizing agent: polymers, dendrimers, ionic liquids, surfactants, micelles and micoremulsions, ligands and solid supports. We explain the importance of atom/ion leaching (all too frequent in nanoparticle catalysis, especially for the catalytically active group VIII metals) and consider ways of minimizing it. The future perspectives of nanoparticles as catalysts are discussed.

The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of crystalline thin films of neodymium hexaboride (NdB₆) was achieved using either nido-pentaborane(9) or nido-decaborane(14) with neodymium(III) chloride on different substrates. The highly crystalline NdB₆ films were formed at relatively moderate temperatures (835 °C, ca. 1 µm/h) and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS). The NdB₆ polycrystalline films were found to be pure and uniform in composition in the bulk material. Depositions using CoCl₂, NdCl₃ and B₅H₉ as the CVD precursors resulted in the formation of a mixture of NdB₆ and CoB phases, rather than the ternary phase.

Structures and the antimycotical activity of four triorganotin(IV) diesters of 4-ketopimelic acid containing {2-[(CH₃)₂NCH₂]C₆H₄}- as a C,N-chelating ligand were studied with the help of IR, NMR and X-ray crystallographic techniques.

Five novel ruthenium-1,3-dialkylimi dazolin-2-ylidene complexes were prepared and characterized. Catalytic amounts of RuCl₂(1,3-dialkylbenzimidazolin-2-ylidene) allow for direct diarylations via CH bond functionalization with aryl chlorides and bromides bearing a variety of important functional groups.

The title compound simultaneously exhibits photochromism in the solid state as well as generation of stable free radical under irradiation with ultraviolet light. The photo-induced radical has not been quenched by the ferrocene groups. This fact provides an evidence for the photochromic mechanism and proves the photo-induced radical of thisind of compounds is a singlet biradical.

The structure of a recently developed series of antitumor-active, dinuclear Ru(II)-arene complexes was modified with respect to their pyridinone moieties and the spacer linking the two metal centers for changing the chemical properties of the respective compounds and altering their anticancer activity.

A series of novel neutral Ni(II) complexes bearing fluorinated salicylaldiminato ligands have been synthesized and characterized, and are more active towards the vinylic polymerization of norbornene than the complex without any substituent on the ligand.

Four palladaphosphacyclobutenes have been investigated as catalyst for the CC bond formation through Heck and Suzuki reactions. With aryl groups on the vinylic sp² carbon, the catalyst shows high reactivity of coupling reactions.

Copolymerization of norbornene and 1,4-divinylbenzene was successfully performed by using a -ketoamine chelate nickel complex/MAO, yielding random copolymer of norbornene and 1,4-divinylbenzene containing a few pendant styrene groups. With the initiation of CuCl₂ and AIBN, the pendant styrene groups were quantitatively polymerized with methyl acrylates, which allowed the successful synthesis of polynorbornene-based graft copolymers by reverse atom transfer radical (RATRP) polymerization mechanism.