N-Heterocyclic carbenes: advances in transition metal-mediated transformations and organocatalysis

This report provides a critical overview of recent developments in the use of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) with transition metals. For these NHC ligand-containing complexes, an analysis is focused on their performance and scope in catalysis. There is also an increasing interest in the role of nucleophilic carbenes as organocatalysts; the latest advances in applications of NHCs in organocatalysis are also reviewed.