Ian M. Riddlestone

The use of a sterically demanding pincer ligand to prepare an unusual square planar aluminium complex is reported. Due to the constrained geometry imposed by the ligand scaffold, this four‐coordinate aluminium centre remains Lewis acidic and reacts via differing metal‐ligand cooperative pathways for activating ketones and CO 2 . It is also a rare example of a single‐component aluminium system for the catalytic reduction of CO 2 to a methanol equivalent at room temperature.