Dinuclear N-heterocyclic carbene silver complexes: Synthesis, luminescence and catalytic studies

A new dibenzimidazole compound (1) and three dibenzimidazolium salts (2a-2c) were prepared. Reactions of these salts with silver(I) oxide in methanol led to dinuclear N-heterocyclic carbene silver complexes (3a-3c). All of the compounds were characterized by H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR and elemental analyses. Molecular weights of the silver complexes were confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Preliminary catalytic studies using all the silver complexes were performed on three-component coupling reaction of p-formaldehyde, piperidine and phenylacetylene. Complexes 3a and 3c exhibited good catalytic activities under neat conditions. The silver complexes showed luminescence properties in CH3CN at room temperature. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.