Bridging N-Heterocyclic Carbenes
The chemistry of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes has been a significant focus of our research group for a number of years. In an effort to further expand this very active research area we sought to explore the concept of linking carbenes. It is well documented that other workers not only had this same idea, but they also enjoyed a measure of success. However, our idea was different: we sought to functionalize the C4 position of the NHC with Li affording the N-Heterocyclic dicarbene (NHDC), (1). Subsequently, reaction of (1) with Me2SiCl2 was shown to give compound 5.
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Reaction of (5) with 1,1’dilithioferrocene (3), was shown to afford compound (6): a novel ferrocenylsilyl-bridged N-heterocyclic carbene! Compound (6) is a very promising reagent bearing interesting research possibilities.
