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Updated: Sep 29, 2026

Photogeneration of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Application in Photoinduced Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization
Published on: November 29, 2018
Expanding the catalytic activity of nucleophilic N-heterocyclic carbenes for transesterification reactions
Gregory W Nyce1, Jorge A Lamboy, Eric F Connor
1Center for Polymer Interfaces and Macromolecular Assemblies, IBM Almaden Research, 650 Harry Rd., San Jose, California 95120, USA.
Abstract:
[reaction: see text] Currently, there is a renewed interest in reactions that are catalyzed by organic compounds. Typical organic catalysts for acylation or transesterification reactions are based on either nucleophilic tertiary amines or phosphines. This communication discusses the use of nucleophilic N-heterocyclic carbenes as efficient transesterification catalysts. These relatively unexplored and highly versatile organic catalysts were found to be mild, selective, and more active than traditional organic nucleophiles.
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