N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have become of ever increasing interest since their first isolation in 1991. Today a large number of synthetic procedures for the preparation of NHCs or their azolium precursors, including N-donor functionalized derivatives are known. Even larger is the number of known procedures for the preparation of NHC complexes. NHCs have found increasing use as reagents for a range of organic transformations, and in asymmetric organocatalysis.
Functionalised N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes shows how the performance of NHCs can be improved and tuned by functionalising the molecules. After an introduction to what NHC is, how it reacts, and how it bonds, the book gives a detailed description of functionalised carbenes and their complexes according to a range of functional groups, with a discussion of the synthetic route, structure, stability and performance. Topics covered include:
- properties of NHC
- why functionalise NHC?
- NHC with neutral tethers: amine and phosphane functionalities, oxygen and sulfur containing groups, and bis- and tris- NHC
- NHC with anionic tethers: oxido-, amido-, thiol, cyclopentadienides, and C-H activated side chains
- chiral NHC
- natural products: thiazole, amino acids and nucleic acids
- other functionalisations
Functionalised N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes is an essential guide to fine-tuning this important class of compounds for practitioners, researchers and advanced students working in synthetic organometallic and organic chemistry and catalysis.
