The N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) have gained great popularity in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis since their first isolation in 1991. We have explored the coordination chemistry of the NHC with transition metals, thereby generating novel catalyst compositions. These new pre-catalysts lead to extremely attractive reactivity/stability profiles in numerous organic transformations. We have reported significant breakthroughs in ruthenium-based olefin metathesis, palladium cross- coupling reactions, copper-based reductive hydrosilylation and most recently in gold-mediated transformations. In order to understand ligand properties, physico-chemical studies are carried out on ligand families to then use the best candidate in given metal-based reactions. Catalyst design represents a major thrust of our research.

SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1. [(NHC)AuI]-Catalyzed Acid Free Hydration of Alkynes at Part-Per-Million Catalyst Loadings, Marion, N.; Ramón, R. S.; Nolan, S. P. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 448-449.
2. Mechanism of the [(NHC)AuI]-Catalyzed Rearrangement of Allylic Acetates. A DFT study, Gourlaouen, C.; Marion, N.; Nolan, S. P.; Maseras, F. Org. Let. 2009, 11, 81–84.
3. Golden Carousel in Catalysis: The Gold-Propargylic Ester Cycle, Correa, A.; Marion, N.; Fensterbank, L.; Malacria, M.; Nolan, S. P.; Cavallo, L. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 48, 718-721.
4. Copper, Silver and Gold mediated Hydrosilylation Reactions, Díez-González, S.; Nolan, S. P. Acc. Chem. Res. 2008, 41, 349-358.