CARBOHYDRATE-MODIFIED METAL CARBENES - SYNTHESIS AND FIRST APPLICATIONS

Carbohydrate-modified carbene complexes can be synthesised by combinin g a sugar electrophile with a metalate nucleophile or vice versa. Acyc lic sugar skeletons adopt conformations that are controlled by the min imisation of 1,3-interactions and are not significantly affected by th e incorporation of a metal fragment. Thus, the latter can be used excl usively for reactivity tuning. Sugar carbene complexes undergo regio- and stereoselective ligand-and metal-centred reactions such as C-2-hom ologisation and benzannulation.