Trofimenko's initial work in the field was with the homoscorpionates where three pyrazolyl groups are attached to a boron. Since this work a range of ligands have been reported where more than one type of metal binding group is attached to the central atom; these are the heteroscorpionates.
Many other chemists continue to explore the possibilities of scorpionate ligand alternatives, such as:
*utilizing pyrrole, imidazole, or indole compounds in place of the pyrazole rings²;
*the possibility of tripodal heptadentate ligands such as NO from the ligand tris[6-((2-N,N-diethylcarbamoyl)pyridyl)methyl]amine³;
*Sulfur donor groups such as those found in the Tm ligand or oxygen donor groups.
*changing the ligands to alter the type of molecular encapsulation needed to metals;
*for very different applications, "heteroscorpionate ligands" have been examined of hybrid scorpionate/cyclopentadienyl-lithium compounds such as [Li(2,2-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)1,1-diphenylethylcyclopentadienyl(THF)] which catalyzes olefin polymerization.