Synthesis of Bimetallic N-heterocyclic Carbene Complexes
Richard J. Rosso, Department of Chemistry, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Abstract
N-heterocyclic carbenes are quickly becoming viable alternatives to traditionally utilized phosphine ligands in many catalytic reactions. These ligands coordinate about ten times more strongly than their phosphine analogs. This is important since in many catalytic reactions the loss of the phosphine ligand is the most common way the catalytic cycle shuts down. We are currently working on the synthesis new ligand scaffolds based on N-heterocyclic carbenes for use in bimetallic hydrogenation and hydroformylation reactions. We believe this ligand system has great potential, as it is easily tunable both electronically and structurally and exhibits greater air stability than its phosphine analogs.