Recent advances in the structure and properties of metal–dithiolene complexes

This chapter describes novel or revisited aspects discussed in Chapter 16 of The Chemistry of Metal Enolates published in 2009. In particular, the properties of square-planar homo- and heteroleptic metal–dithiolene complexes, such as the uncertainty of the valence state of the central metal and the ligands, and a variety of their applications as photocatalysts and electrocatalysts for hydrogen production from water, redox-active second-order nonlinear chromophores, single-component molecular conductors (SCMCs) and suitable materials for field-effect transistors (FET), solar cells, and photodetectors, are discussed and more recent literature data reviewed. The chapter summarizes how new or optimized applications of this class of complexes, spanning from bio-medicinal to material chemistry, are relatable to the versatility of the organic synthesis in tailoring the ligand which can bear a variety of functionalities to favor film formation, luminescent properties, donor/acceptor interactions, proton transfer reaction, chirality, to combine with the suitable metal for obtaining the complex exhibiting the desired properties.