It was only in the early 1990s that carbenes with the carbene carbon being incorporated in a nitrogen containing heterocycle (N-heterocyclic carbenes or NHCs) were found to be stable enough to be isolated. Since the first report on the application of NHCs as ligands in transition metal catalysis in 1995, NHC have found numerous applications and have been established as a versatile and indispensable class of ligands. For many reactions like metathesis or cross-coupling reactions NHCs have often become the ligands of choice, allowing otherwise difficult transformations. In this book leading experts have surveyed major areas of application of NHC metal complexes in catalysis. The authors have placed a special focus on nickel- and palladium-catalyzed reactions, on applications in metathesis reactions, on oxidation reactions and on the use of chiral NHC-based catalysts. This compilation is rounded out by an introductory chapter and a chapter dealing with synthetic routes to NHC metal complexes. The use of NHC as ligands in catalysis has reached a certain level of maturity and this book allows the reader to get a balanced view of this increasingly important ligand class.

Each volume of Topics in Organometallic Chemistry provides the broad scientific readership with a comprehensive summary and critical overview of a specific topic in organometallic chemistry Research in this rapidly developing transdisciplinary field is having profound influence on other areas of scientific investigation, ranging from catalytic organic synthesis to biology, medicine and material science

Inhalt
N-Heterocyclic Carbenes in CatalysisAn Introduction.- N-Heterocyclic Carbenes in CatalysisAn Introduction.- N-Heterocyclic Carbenes as Ligands for High-Oxidation-State Metal Complexes and Oxidation Catalysis.- N-Heterocyclic Carbenes as Ligands for High-Oxidation-State Metal Complexes and Oxidation Catalysis.- Palladium-catalyzed Reactions Using NHC Ligands.- Palladium-catalyzed Reactions Using NHC Ligands.- Routes to N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes.- Routes to N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes.- Chiral N-Heterocyclic Carbenes as Stereodirecting Ligands in Asymmetric Catalysis.- Chiral N-Heterocyclic Carbenes as Stereodirecting Ligands in Asymmetric Catalysis.- Transition Metal-Catalyzed Reactions Using N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands (Besides Pd- and Ru-Catalyzed Reactions).- Transition Metal-Catalyzed Reactions Using N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands (Besides Pd- and Ru-Catalyzed Reactions).- N-Heterocyclic Carbenes as Ligands for Olefin Metathesis Catalysts.- N-Heterocyclic Carbenes as Ligands for Olefin Metathesis Catalysts.