The Au-ligand development is focused on the design and synthesis of N-heterocyclic (NHC) ligands able to activate the Cl coordinated complexes, without the need for counter ion exchange by silver salt additives. A parallel research aim is to achieve asymmetric catalysis by tailoring the side arms with suitable chiral functional groups. We foresee that the chosen strategy could allow for the development of novel Au(III) and Au(I) catalysts able to activate C-C p-bonds for nucleophilic additions.

We have developed a method to create instant cationic, catalytically active, gold nuclei induced by pyridine tethered in NHC ligand carrying gold specie (AuCl₃).

M. Muuronen, J. Perea-Buceta, M. Nieger, M. Patzschke, J. Helaja: Cationic Gold Catalysis with Pyridine-Tethered Au(III) NHC-Carbenes: An Experimental and DFT Computational Study Organometallics 2012, 31, 4320-4330.

We have developed the concept further:

O. Seppänen, S. Aikonen, M. Muuronen, C. Alamillo-Ferrer, J. Burés, J. Helaja Chem. Commun., 2020,56, 14697-14700

+ There are manuscripts under construction about asymmetric catalysis and catalysis with Au(III) nuclei