A new N-heterocyclic carbene architecture comprising a 1,4-naphthoquinone annulated to 1,3-dimesitylimidazolylidene (NpQ-NHC) was synthesized in two high yielding steps from commercially available starting materials. The free NpQ-NHC was characterized (solution and solid-state) and was used to synthesize various Rh and Ag complexes that ranged in pi-electron density. Enabled by the quinone moiety, the pi-systems of these complexes were analyzed using infrared spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry.
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