The use of N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) in manganese and rhenium catalysis is underdeveloped in comparison to other transition metals. Herein, we cover the recent and stimulating progress in homogeneous catalysis using Mn‐NHC complexes, namely in hydrosilylation, hydrogenation, and borrowing hydrogen processes. Of particular interest is the application of Mn and Re NHC catalysts in the electrochemical and photochemical reduction of CO2.

A pH-, light- and redox-responsive flavylium-bipyridinium molecular dyad (bioinspired in natural anthocyanins) was synthesized and employed to devise a pseudorotaxane with the macrocycle cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) in aqueous solution. The inclusion complex was characterized by UV-Vis absorption, fluorescence emission, NMR and electrochemical techniques which demonstrate formation of a stable binary complex between the dyad and CB7 both under acidic and neutral conditions. It is noteworthy that the flavylium-bipyridinium tricationic dyad is only stable in highly acidic media, undergoing a reversible hydration reaction at slightly acidic or neutral pH to give a trans-chalcone-bipyridinium dication. 1H NMR experiments showed that in this last species the CB7 binds to the bipyridinium unit while in the tricationic species the macrocycle is positioned between the flavylium and the bipyridinium moieties. The different location of the CB7 wheel in the two dyad states allows control of the shuttling movement using light and pH stimuli that trigger the interconversion between these two species.

Manganese catalysis has attracted significant attention in the last few years. In comparison with the extensively studied Mn complexes bearing phosphine‐based pincer ligands, catalysis with Mn containing N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) is poorly developed. In this work, new manganese(I) complexes bearing an NHC ligand with picolyl wingtip substituents (an N,C,N ligand) have been synthesized and fully characterized. The structure of fac‐[Mn(CO)3(κ2N,C,N)Br] and fac‐[Mn(CO)3(κ3N,C,N)](OTf) complexes with a bidentate and tridentate coordination of the N,C,N ligand, respectively, has been elucidated by single crystal X‐ray diffraction studies. These Mn complexes were applied as catalysts for the visible light‐induced hydrosilylation of ketones. The mild protocol operated efficiently at room temperature under visible light irradiation (blue LED), enabling the conversion of a wide variety of aromatic ketones to their respective alcohols in high yields. Evidence for radical intermediates and the participation of Mn‐H species has been demonstrated by a series of trapping experiments.