A unique metal-free intramolecular diamination of alkenes based on bromide catalysis is reported that uses only potassium bromide and sodium chlorite avoiding any use of transition metal. This unprecedented halide catalysis is of general applicability, uses economic reagents, can be conveniently up-scaled and proceeds under mild and selective conditions that surpass all conventional transition metals in scope.

Homogeneous palladium catalysis enables a novel intermolecular regioselective diamination of allylic ethers, which offers a convenient entry into 1,2,3-trisubstituted products. These represent suitable building blocks with differently protected nitrogen atoms for subsequent synthetic application.

Substitution of a trans chloride ligand in the Nheterocyclic carbene (NHC) Au III complexes (NHC)AuCl 3 in the presence of AgNTf 2 yields a new family of (NHC)AuCl 2 (NTf 2 ) complexes. They display a moderate stability in solution but are stable once crystallized. These new organogold(III) complexes could be fully characterized by NMR, IR, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. They exhibit in 13 C{ 1 H} NMR an unusually upfield-shifted resonance associated with the carbene center.