Optimizing Catalyst and Reaction Conditions in Gold(I) Catalysis-Ligand Development.

This review considers phosphine and N -heterocyclic carbene complexes of gold(I) that are used as (pre)catalysts for a range of reactions in organic synthesis. These are divided according to the structure of the ligand, with the narrative focusing on studies that offer a quantitative comparison between the ligands and readily available or widely used existing systems.