α-Zirconium phosphonates: versatile supports for N-heterocyclic carbenesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthetic methods for all compound described, SEM images and powder diffraction traces for 3a, 5b,c. See DOI: 10.1039/b821301a

α-Zirconium phosphonates derivatised with N-heterocyclic carbenes provide a versatile platform for organocatalysis and metal-catalysed transformations, including the ring-opening polymerisation of cyclic esters, and olefin metathesis and hydroformylations by surface-bound ruthenium, rhodium and iridium complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]