N-Phosphorylated Azolylidenes: Novel Ligands for Dinuclear Complexes of Coinage Metals

Dinuclear silver(I) complexes with bridging N-phosphorylated azolylidene ligands have been synthesized. Subsequent transfer of the ligands to other group 11 metal centers (Cu, Au) has been accomplished, highlighting the usefulness of the silver complexes as an easy to handle, air- and moisture-stable source of these ligands. Preliminary results indicate that dinuclear copper(I) complexes with N-phosphorylated imidazolylidene ligands display notable catalytic efficiency in nitrene transfer reactions.