Carbenes, IV-heterocyclic

At the origin of this abundance of publications on iV-heterocyclic carbenes is the structural ligand diversity now available (Fig. 1.2). This developing area is noteworthy as most early developments were mainly focused on imidazolylidene and imidazo-lidinylidene NHC-types. 

In addition to modifications of the side chains and of the backbone of the five-membered iV-heterocyclic carbenes, one may also vary the classical 1,3-dinitrogen containing heterocycle. 

Abstract This chapter highlights the use of iV-heterocyclic carbenes as supporting ligands in arylation reactions different than the more common cross-coupling reactions, including C-F bond activation, catalytic arylation, homocoupling, direct arylation and oxidative Heck reactions. 

Abstract This chapter focuses on carbon monoxide as a reagent in M-NHC catalysed reactions. The most important and popular of these reactions is hydro-formylation. Unfortunately, uncertainty exists as to the identity of the active catalyst and whether the NHC is bound to the catalyst in a number of the reported reactions. Mixed bidentate NHC complexes and cobalt-based complexes provide for better stability of the catalyst. Catalysts used for hydroaminomethylation and carbonyla-tion reactions show promise to rival traditional phosphine-based catalysts. Reports of decarbonylation are scarce, but the potential strength of the M-NHC bond is conducive to the harsh conditions required. This report will highlight, where appropriate, the potential benefits of exchanging traditional phosphorous ligands with iV-heterocyclic carbenes as well as cases where the role of the NHC might need re-evaluation. A review by the author on this topic has recently appeared [1]. 

Structure 3 Generic representation of the structures of IV-heterocyclic carbene analogues... 

Youngs and co-workers extended the chemistry toward synthesizing water-soluble silver carbene complexes 68a-68c (Figure 28) by using hydroxyl-containing pincer-type iV-heterocyclic carbenes as ligands.1 4 It is interesting... 

In contrast to the Simmons-Smith reagent and similar carbenoids, which are reactive and therefore difficult to characterize, adducts of the fV-heterocyclic l,3-diorganylimidazol-2-ylidenes are remarkably stable. The first iV-heterocyclic carbene complex of zinc, namely the l,3-di(l-adamantyl)imidazol-2-ylidene diethylzinc complex 48 (Figure 22), was reported by Arduengo et al. in 1993.98 Because of the general utility of these iV-heterocyclic... 

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