Six- and seven-membered ring carbenes: Rational synthesis of amidinium salts, generation of carbenes, synthesis of Ag(I) and Cu(I) complexes

Reactions of neat 1,3- and 1,4-dibromides with N,N′-diarylformamidines in the presence of diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) afford corresponding amidinium salts in high yields (>80%). Six- and seven-membered ring amidinium salts bearing bulky Mes (2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂) and Dipp (2,6-ⁱPr₂C₆H₃) aryl groups were prepared using this method. Free six-membered ring carbene 6-Dipp was generated from amidinium salt using LiHMDS as a base. NHC-Ag(I) complexes were obtained by the reactions of amidinium salts with Ag₂O. NHC complexes of Pd and Rh are not accessible by deprotonation of amidinium salts, nor by transmetallation of Ag(I) complexes. However NHC-Cu(I) complexes were obtained by transmetallation of NHC-Ag(I). Thus, transmetallation of six- and seven-membered NHC-Ag(I) complexes was documented for the first time.