The invention relates to a coordination complex system comprising a ligand having the formula: R1—SO2—NH—P (XR2)2 (1a); or R1—SO2—N═PH (XR2)2 (1b); or R1—SO(OH)═N—P(XR2)2 (1c); wherein X is independently O, S, NH, or a bond; R1 and R2 are independently selected from hydrogen and substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl; wherein at least one equivalent of the ligand is complexed to an equivalent of a metal selected from a transition metal and lanthanide. The invention also relates to the use of said coordination complexes as catalysts in the hydroformylation, hydrogenation, transfer hydrogenation, hydrocyanation, polymerization, isomerization, carbonylation, cross-coupling, metathesis, CH activation, allylic substitution, aldol condensation, or Michael addition.