title: Fascinating frontiers of N/O-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene chemistry: from chemical catalysis to biomedical applications.
abstract: The in vogue N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have attracted attention largely for its new found popularity in chemical catalysis and also for displaying promising traits in biomedical applications. The current perspective provides an account of our efforts in exploring the utility of N/O-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbenes in these two areas. On the catalysis front, we have employed the N/O-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene based precatalysts for the C-C and C-N bond forming reactions like the Suzuki-Miyaura, Sonogashira and Hiyama cross-couplings, the base-free Michael addition, the alkene and alkyne hydroamination reactions and the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of L-lactides that produce biodegradable polylactide polymers while on the biomedical application front, the anticancer and antimicrobial properties of these N/O-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene complexes were evaluated. Towards this objective, the N-heterocyclic carbene chemistry of a variety of transition metals like Ag, Au, Ni and Pd has been investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400 076.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Prasenjit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ghosh
mesh_terms: D000475:Alkenes / Q000737:chemistry; D000480:Alkynes / Q000737:chemistry; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000737:chemistry; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D008697:Methane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry; D028561:Transition Elements / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000475:Alkenes; D000480:Alkynes; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D056831:Coordination Complexes; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D011091:Polyesters; D028561:Transition Elements; C030011:carbene; C033616:poly(lactide); D009584:Nitrogen; D008697:Methane; D010100:Oxygen