N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have become one
of the most widely studied class of ligands in molecular chemistry
and have found applications in fields as varied as catalysis, the
stabilization of reactive molecular fragments, and biochemistry. More
recently, NHCs have found applications in materials chemistry and
have allowed for the functionalization of surfaces, polymers, nanoparticles,
and discrete, well-defined clusters. In this review, we provide an
in-depth look at recent advances in the use of NHCs for the development
of functional materials.