C-C bond-forming reductive elimination from a zirconium(IV) redox-active ligand complex

Carbon-carbon bond-forming reductive elimination of biphenyl is observed upon two-electron oxidation of the [ZrIVPh2(ap)2]2- dianion. Crossover experiments confirm that the C-C bond-forming step occurs at a single zirconium metal center. The reactivity is enabled by the participation of a redox-active amidophenolate ligand set.