Expedient Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Abnormal Carbenegold(I) Complexes.

The reaction of 4-substituted imidazol-2-ylidenes with various electrophiles produces a series of 2,4-functionalized imidazolium salts. Subsequent metalation of these precursors using AuCl(SMe) provides the first examples of highly functionalized abnormal carbenegold(I) complexes. The present protocol introduces a new strategy for the synthesis of metallic abnormal carbenes featuring diverse functional groups.