Gold Complexes with Hydrophilic N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands and Their Contribution to Aqueous-Phase Catalysis

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are nowadays one of the most widely employed ligands in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis due to inherent stability metal-carbene bond ease modification backbone as well N-wingtips substituents these ligands. The functionalization NHCs with hydrophilic groups offers possibility using NHC-metal complexes aqueous catalysis, a hot topic within Green Chemistry context positive implications associated use water reaction medium. In line enormous interest aroused by gold significant efforts have been directed last years design application NHC-gold catalysts. This review is aimed summarize research this area. catalytic applications water-soluble nanoparticles stabilized also covered.