Nitrene transfer reactions catalyzed by gold complexes

We report here the first gold- catalyzed nitrene transfer reaction. A gold( I) compound, supported by 4,4',4-tri- tert-butyl-2,2': 6', 2-terpyridine (tBu(3)tpy) as the ligand, efficiently catalyzes olefin aziridination with the use of the commercially available oxidant PhI(OAc)(2) and sulfonamides. This system also mediates carbene insertion into benzene.