Polynuclear Copper(I) Complexes with Chelating Bis‐ and Tris‐<i>N</i>‐Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands: Catalytic Activity in Nitrene and Carbene Transfer Reactions

Abstract

Abstract Di‐ and trinuclear complexes of copper(I) bearing bis‐ or tris‐N‐heterocyclic carbene ligands have been prepared and evaluated as catalysts in nitrene transfer reactions from PhI=NTs to unsaturated and saturated substrates (olefin aziridination and C–H bond amidation) and carbene transfer reactions from diazo compounds to olefins. The complexes exhibited moderate‐to‐high catalytic activity in both processes. The tosylamidation of C–H bonds, previously unreported with a NHC‐containing copper catalyst, was promoted by the dinuclear complexes.