Synthesis and reactivity of [Au(NHC)(Bpin)] complexes.

A new class of [Au(NHC)(Bpin)] complexes has been synthesized and their unusual reactivity was investigated using computational and experimental methods. The gold-boryl complexes exhibit unexpected high stability and reactivity.

A simple synthetic entryway into palladium cross-coupling catalysis.

The simple synthesis of a family of palladates containing an imidazolium counterion is presented. These "ate" complexes can be easily converted into well-defined palladium-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes. The synthetic protocols leading to the "ate" and to the Pd-NHC neutral complexes have been exemplified with various NHC ligands. The palladates prove efficient pre-catalysts enabling Suzuki-Miyaura and Mizoroki-Heck reactions.