title: Nanoclusters in ionic liquids: evidence for N-heterocyclic carbene formation from imidazolium-based ionic liquids detected by (2)H NMR.
abstract: The mystery of how 1,3-substituted imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) can provide high stabilization for transition-metal(0) nanoclusters, that is, in the absence of the usual strongly coordinating anions, has been probed. 2H NMR product and kinetic studies of 1,3-substituted imidazolium ILs under D2 reveal that nanocluster-catalyzed H/D exchange occurs at the 2- (as well as at the 4-, 5-, and 8-) C-H positions of the imidazolium cation. The results (i) provide compelling evidence that N-heterocyclic carbene formation and ligation of nanoclusters is occurring in ILs; and (ii) argue that N-heterocyclic carbenes merit further investigation as heretofore unappreciated stabilizers of transition-metal nanoclusters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa Starkey
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Ott
authors.forename: Morgan L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cline
authors.forename: Maggel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deetlefs
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Seddon
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Finke