Catalytic Hydrocarbon Functionalization with Gold Complexes Containing N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands with Pendant Donor Groups

A series of silver and gold complexes bearing N-heterocyclic carbene ligands with a CH2CO2Et pendant group attached to one N atom of the NHC ligand have been prepared. The catalytic properties of the gold complexes toward the decomposition of ethyl diazoacetate (N2CHCO2Et) and the transfer of the carbene CHCO2Et group to benzene and hexane have been investigated. A somewhat different reaction outcome has been found for this family of gold catalysts compared with the parent IPrAuCl catalyst.