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A free N-heterocyclic carbene and its metal complex

Classical carbenes are highly reactive species that have traditionally been regarded as transient intermediates, making direct structural characterization a challenge. Among them, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) stand out for their stability and broad applicability, yet atomic-scale insights into the...

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Main Authors: Das, Ankita (Author) , Hung, Tzu-Chao (Author) , Rank, Andreas (Author) , Giselbrecht, Felix (Author) , Schön, Jonas (Author) , Das, Mowpriya (Author) , Doltsinis, Nikos (Author) , Amirjalayer, Saeed (Author) , Repp, Jascha (Author) , Glorius, Frank (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 26 March 2026
In: Angewandte Chemie. International edition
Year: 2026, Pages: 1-7
ISSN:1521-3773
DOI:10.1002/anie.202524266
Online Access:Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202524266
Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/anie.202524266
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Author Notes:Ankita Das, Tzu-Chao Hung, Andreas Rank, Felix Giselbrecht, Jonas Schön, Mowpriya Das, Nikos Doltsinis, Saeed Amirjalayer, Jascha Repp, Frank Glorius
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Summary:Classical carbenes are highly reactive species that have traditionally been regarded as transient intermediates, making direct structural characterization a challenge. Among them, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) stand out for their stability and broad applicability, yet atomic-scale insights into their structure and electronic properties remain limited. Here, we report the on-surface single-molecule characterization of a free NHC deposited on ultrathin insulating NaCl layers on Au(111), enabling direct investigation of a reactive carbene in its free form. Using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and density functional theory (DFT), we resolve its molecular structure and frontier orbital with sub-molecular resolution. We further demonstrate the reactivity of the free NHC through its on-surface complexation with a gold atom. These results demonstrate that real-space techniques enable direct insights into the structure and reactivity of free NHCs, helping to connect molecular properties with their broader functional applications.
Item Description:Zuerst veröffentlicht: 26. März 2026
Gesehen am 29.04.2026
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1521-3773
DOI:10.1002/anie.202524266

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