Virtual Lecture: Light-Driven Carbene Catalysis
Lecture held on: June 28, 2023
Presenter
Prof. Karl A. Scheidt β Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysis has become a unique way to activate compounds for valuable bond forming processes. Over the past two decades, these special Lewis bases have tapped into both unconventional (Umpolung) and standard two electron processes. Recently, single electron/radical species have been accessed utilizing NHC/azolium structures. The interplay between Breslow intermediates undergoing oxidation with acyl azolium intermediates capable of being reduced has opened a vast new direction for carbene catalysis well beyond its Umpolung beginnings. This presentation will provide our latest findings in this novel area for the forging of carbonyl compounds involving acyl azolium reactivity.