Synthesis, isolation and characterization of cationic gold(i) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexesElectronic Supplementary Information (ESI) available: Detailed experimental details with full NMR characterization data and catalytic procedures.

A number of cationic gold(i) complexes have been synthesized and found to be stabilized by the use of N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. These species are often employed as in situ-generated reactive intermediates in gold catalyzed organic transformations. An isolated, well-defined species was tested in gold-mediated carbene transfer reactions from ethyl diazoacetate.