Synthesis of Well-Defined N-Heterocyclic Carbene Silver(I) Complexes

Mechanochemistry for facilitated access to N,N-diaryl NHC metal complexes

A solvent-free synthesis of NHC–silver, gold, copper and palladium complexes in a ball-mill was achieved.

A convenient access to N-phosphonio-substituted NHC metal complexes [M = Ag(i), Rh(i), Pd(ii)]

NHC Pd(ii) complexes featuring a propyl bridge were ionized by the introduction of a phosphonium moiety, which may coordinate to the metal center or remain pendant.

Structural diversities in Ag(i) complexes of xylyl platform based isomeric bis-NHC ligands: effects of pyridine wingtip substituents

In an infinite ID polymeric structure, Ag(i) atoms are arranged linearly in a xylyl platform based tetra-dentate bis-NHC ligand.

Synthesis and catalytic applications of palladium N-heterocyclic carbene complexes as efficient pre-catalysts for Suzuki–Miyaura and Sonogashira coupling reactions

A new palladium complex series with N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC), pyridine and phosphine ligands, PdCl₂(L)NHC (2a–c)(L = NHC), PdCl₂(L¹)NHC(3a–c)(L¹ = pyridine), PdCl₂(L²)NHC(4a–c)(L² = triphenylphosphine) was synthesised and fully characterized.

Coinage Metal Hydrides: Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity

Hydride complexes of copper, silver, and gold encompass a broad array of structures, and their distinctive reactivity has enabled dramatic recent advances in synthesis and catalysis. This Review summarizes the synthesis, characterization, and key stoichiometric reactions of isolable or observable coinage metal hydrides. It discusses catalytic processes in which coinage metal hydrides are known or probable intermediates, and presents mechanistic studies of selected catalytic reactions. The purpose of this Review is to convey how developments in coinage metal hydride chemistry have led to new organic transformations, and how developments in catalysis have in turn inspired the synthesis of reactive new complexes.

Synthesis and characterisation of an N-heterocyclic carbene with spatially-defined steric impact

The synthesis and co-ordination chemistry of a new 'bulky yet flexible' N-heterocyclic carbene ("IPaul") is reported. This carbene has spatially-defined steric impact; steric maps show that two quadrants are very bulky while the other two are quite open. The electronic properties of this carbene are very similar to those of other 1,3-diarylimidazol-2-ylidenes. Copper, silver, iridium, and nickel complexes of the new ligand have been prepared. In solution, the ligand adopts two different conformations, while X-ray crystallographic analyses of the transition metal complexes suggest that the syn-conformer is preferred in the solid state due to intermolecular interactions. The copper(i) chloride complex of this new ligand has been shown to be highly-active in the hydrosilylation of carbonyl compounds, when compared to the analogous IPr, IMes, IPr* and IPr*(OMe) complexes.

Cationic 5-phosphonio-substituted N-heterocyclic carbenes

Cationic NHCs featuring a phosphonium moiety in the 5-position are prepared from the reaction of imidazolium salts with a tert. phosphane. They are used as ligands for the preparation of transition metal complexes, dehydrogenation reactions of prim. and sec. phosphanes and the preparation of a N-heterocyclic olefin (NHO).

A structure/catalytic activity study of gold(i)–NHC complexes, as well as their recyclability and reusability, in the hydration of alkynes in aqueous medium

Comparative studies were carried out with the addition of different silver salts. Our results indicate that the bulkier complex is the most effective and that the addition of methanol as co-solvent not only shortens reaction times but also stabilizes the less bulky complexes.

4-Alkylated Silver-N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) Complexes with Cytotoxic Effects in Leukemia Cells

Computational chemistry has shown that backbone-alkylated imidazoles ought to be efficient ligands for transition metal catalysts with improved carbene-to-metal donation. In this work, such alkylated imidazoles were synthesized and complexed with silver(I) by means of an eight/nine-step synthetic pathway we devised to access a new class of biologically active silver complexes. The synthesis involves selective iodination of the imidazole backbone, followed by Sonogashira coupling to replace the backbone iodine. The installed alkyne moiety is then subjected to reductive hydrogenation with Pearlman's catalyst. The imidazole N1 atom is arylated by the palladium-catalyzed Buchwald N-arylation method. The imidazole N3 position was then methylated with methyl iodine, whereupon the synthesis was terminated by complexation of the imidazolium salt with silver(I) oxide. The synthetic pathway provided an overall yield of ≈20 %. The resulting complexes were tested in vitro against HL60 and MOLM-13 leukemic cells, two human-derived cell lines that model acute myeloid leukemia. The most active compounds exhibiting low IC50 values of 14 and 27 μM, against HL60 and MOLM-13 cells, respectively. The imidazole side chain was found to be essential for high cytotoxicity, as the imidazole complex bearing a C7 side chain at the 4-position was four- to sixfold more potent than the corresponding imidazole elaborated with a methyl group.

N-heterocyclic carbene gold(I) and silver(I) complexes bearing functional groups for bio-conjugation

This work describes several synthetic approaches to append organic functional groups to gold and silver N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes suitable for applications in biomolecule conjugation. Carboxylate appended NHC ligands (3) lead to unstable Au(I) complexes that convert into bis-NHC species (4). A benzyl protected carboxylate NHC-Au(I) complex 2 was synthesized but deprotection to produce the carboxylic acid functionality could not be achieved. A small library of new alkyne functionalized NHC proligands were synthesized and used for subsequent silver and gold metalation reactions. The alkyne appended NHC gold complex 13 readily reacts with benzyl azide in a copper catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction to form the triazole appended NHC gold complex 14. Cell cytotoxicity studies were performed on DLD-1 (colorectal adenocarcinoma), Hep-G2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), CCRF-CEM (human T-Cell leukemia), and HEK (human embryonic kidney). Complete spectroscopic characterization of the ligands and complexes was achieved using (1)H and (13)C NMR, gHMBC, ESI-MS, and combustion analysis.

H(C)Ag: a triple resonance NMR experiment for (109) Ag detection in labile silver-carbene complexes

In silver complexes, indirect detection of (109) Ag resonances via (1) H,(109) Ag-HMQC frequently suffers from small or absent JHAg couplings or rapid ligand dissociation. In these cases, it would be favourable to employ H(X)Ag triple resonance spectroscopy that uses the large one-bond JXAg coupling (where the donor atom of the ligand X is the relay nucleus). We have applied an HMQC-based version of the H(C)Ag experiment to a labile silver-NHC complex (NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene) at natural (13) C isotopic abundance and variable temperature. In agreement with simulations, H(C)Ag detection became superior to (1) H,(109) Ag-HMQC detection above -20 °C.

Silver(I) as a widely applicable, homogeneous catalyst for aerobic oxidation of aldehydes toward carboxylic acids in water-"silver mirror": From stoichiometric to catalytic

The first example of a homogeneous silver(I)-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of aldehydes in water is reported. More than 50 examples of different aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, including natural products, were tested, and all of them successfully underwent aerobic oxidation to give the corresponding carboxylic acids in extremely high yields. The reaction conditions are very mild and greener, requiring only a very low silver(I) catalyst loading, using atmospheric oxygen as the oxidant and water as the solvent, and allowing gram-scale oxidation with only 2 mg of our catalyst. Chromatography is completely unnecessary for purification in most cases.

Synthesis, structural characterization and thermal properties of copper and silver silyl complexes

A series of copper and silver-silyl complexes containing N-heterocyclic carbene or N-donor ligands were synthesized and characterized in the solid state. A number of different structural forms were observed and many compounds were shown to be volatile.

Structure and bonding of [(SIPr)AgX] (X = Cl, Br, I and OTf)

A series of iso-structural complexes [(SIPr)AgX] (X = Cl, Br, I, OTf; SIPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolidene) were synthesised, including the first example of a N-heterocyclic carbene silver(i) complex containing an O-bound triflate.

Crystal Structure Studies towards the Synthesis and Applications of N-heterocyclic Carbene–Metal Complexes Derived from [2.2]Paracyclophane

The crystal structures of six planar chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursors and one NHC–Rh complex derived from [2.2]paracyclophane were described. The NHC–metal complexes were prepared to examine their catalytic activities toward the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric addition of phenylboronic acid to 1-naphthaldehyde. The results were correlated to the single-crystal crystallographic studies. The novel NHC precursor 5 can achieve high catalytic activity in the asymmetric addition of phenylboronic acid to 1-naphthaldehyde.

Recent advances in carbon dioxide capture, fixation, and activation by using N-heterocyclic carbenes

In the last two decades, CO2 emission has caused a lot of environmental problems. To mitigate the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, various strategies have been implemented, one of which is the use of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and related complexes to accomplish the capture, fixation, and activation of CO2 effectively. In this review, we summarize CO2 capture, fixation, and activation by utilizing NHCs and related complexes; homogeneous reactions and their reaction mechanisms are discussed. Free NHCs and NHC salts can capture CO2 in both direct and indirect ways to form imidazolium carboxylates, and they can also catalyze the reaction of aromatic aldehydes with CO2 to form carboxylic acids and derivatives. Moreover, associated with transition metals (TMs), NHCs can form NHC-TM complexes to transform CO2 into industrial acid or esters. Non-metal-NHC complexes can also catalyze the reactions of silicon and boron complexes with CO2 . In addition, catalytic cycloaddition of epoxides with CO2 is another effective function of NHC complexes, and NHC ionic liquids perform excellently in this aspect.

N-Heterocyclic carbene rhodium(i) complexes containing an axis of chirality: dynamics and catalysis

Novel rhodium(i) complexes [RhCl(NBD)(NHC)] [NHC = 1-benzyl-3-R-imidazolin-2-ylidene; R = Me, Bz, Tr, ^tBu]: determination of the rotation barriers about the Rh-carbene and catalytic activity in the hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes.

Cycloalkyl-based unsymmetrical unsaturated (U2)-NHC ligands: flexibility and dissymmetry in ruthenium-catalysed olefin metathesis

Structural features, chemical stabilities and catalytic profiles in olefin metathesis of a new library of low-cost cycloalkyl-based U₂-NHC Ru complexes were disclosed.

Photophysical properties of trans-platinum acetylide complexes featuring N-heterocyclic carbene ligands

Platinum acetylide complexes featuring NHC-carbene ligands show enhanced photophysical properties relative to complexes with phosphine ligands.

Alkyne-azide cycloaddition catalyzed by silver chloride and "abnormal" silver N-heterocyclic carbene complex

A library of 1,2,3-triazoles was synthesized from diverse alkynes and azides using catalytic amounts of silver chloride instead of copper compounds. In addition, a novel “abnormal” silver N-heterocyclic carbene complex was tested as catalyst in this process. The results suggest that the reaction requires only 0.5% of silver complex, affording 1,2,3-triazoles in good yields.