title: Imidazol-2-ylidene-4-olate: an anionic N-heterocyclic carbene pre-programmed for further derivatization.
abstract: The 4-hydroxyimidazolium salt, readily prepared in two steps by acylation of a formamidine and quaternization of the second nitrogen, affords, after deprotonation, the anionic imidazol-2-ylidene-4-olate, which can be complexed to a transition metal and still be subsequently functionalized at O or C backbone atom in the outer coordination sphere of the metal.
authors.affiliation: CNRS, LCC (laboratoire de chimie de coordination), 205 route de Narbonne, F-31077 Toulouse Cedex 4, France.
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benhamou
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: César
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gornitzka
authors.forename: Noël
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lugan
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lavigne