Treatment of an N-heterocyclic carbene that features two amide groups N-bound to the carbene nucleus with various organic isocyanides afforded a new class of ketenimines in yields of up to 96% (isolated). DFT analyses revealed that the carbene exhibits a unique, low-lying LUMO, which may explain the atypical reactivity observed.

To date the prototype Nazarov cyclization of a cross-conjugated pentadienone to the core structure of the rocaglate natural products has not been successful (9 into 12). It has been found that this conversion can be achieved by the use of acetylbromide in excellent yield and results in a strategically very direct route to these antitumor agents.

Reaction of 1,3-dimesitylimidazolylidene (1) with p-functionalized phenyl azides 2 (a: H, b: OCH 3 , c: NO 2 ) afforded the respective imidazolylidene-triazenes 3 in good yields (65-99 %). Subsequent treatment with methyl iodide produced the corresponding methylated products 4 in near-quantitative yields (99 %). Analysis by NOESY 1D NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that the methylation reaction was regioselective and occurred at the nitrogen atom most distal from the heterocycle. Consistent with the formation of ionic salts, the 1 H NMR signals for the imidazole protons in 4 were shifted Ͼ 0.5 ppm downfield compared to 1, indicating the accumulation of positive charge.

Facile synthetic routes to a chiral chloro‐substituted biphenyl‐2,2′‐diyl hydrogen phosphate and a chiral O,O‐biphenyl‐2,2′‐diyl phosphoramidothioate are described. The performance of these compounds as catalysts for the hydrophosphonylation of imines and the Friedel–Crafts alkylation of indole was investigated. In the latter reaction, the chloro‐substituted phosphoric acid derivative was found to rival the best Brønsted acid catalysts reported to date.

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