Trinuclear copper(I) complexes with triscarbene ligands: catalysis of C-N and C-C coupling reactions

Novel synthetic routes for the preparation of trinuclear copper(I) complexes with triscarbene ligands are presented, which yield higher purity products than the one previously described. The first crystal structure of one of these complexes is reported and confirms the expected structure. The trinuclear complexes proved to be efficient catalysts of Ullmann-type reactions as well as of the Sonogashira reaction.