Asymmetric lithium(I) and copper(II) alkoxy-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes; crystallographic characterisation and Lewis acid catalysis

A one-pot synthesis of a wide range of bidentate, alkoxide-N-heterocyclic carbene ligands provides new lithium alkoxy-carbenes and a range of covalently bound organometallic Cu(II) carbene complexes, which are catalytically active, in some cases enantioselectively, for conjugate addition reactions.