Iron carbonyl cluster-incorporated Cu(i) NHC complexes in homocoupling of arylboronic acids: an effective [TeFe3(CO)9]2− ligand

Abstract

A new type of TeFe₃(CO)₉-incorporated dicopper NHC complex was obtained directly from one-pot reactions. By the introduction of the cluster anion [TeFe₃(CO)₉]²⁻ and NHCs as the ligands, these di-Cu(I)-based complexes exhibited pronounced catalytic activities toward the homocoupling of arylboronic acids with low Cu loadings and high yields (up to 98%).