A new kind of flex-activated mechanophore, N-heterocyclic carbene–carbodiimide adduct (NHC-CDI), was developed as a platform to release different NHCs under mechanical load. The polymeric materials containing NHC-CDI can be subjected multiple compression cycles and successively NHCs, which have potential utilized self-healing, self-strengthening self-reporting materials.

The common use of NHC complexes in transition-metal mediated C–C coupling and metathesis reactions in recent decades has established N-heterocyclic carbenes as a new class of ligand for catalysis. The field of asymmetric catalysis with complexes bearing NHC-containing chiral ligands is dominated by mixed carbene/oxazoline or carbene/phosphane chelating ligands. In contrast, applications of comp...

A series of new PEPPSI (Pyridine Enhanced Precatalyst Preparation Stabilization and Initiation) themed precatalysts of abnormal N-heterocyclic carbenes for the highly desirable Cu-free and amine-free Sonogashira coupling in air in a mixed-aqueous medium is reported. Specifically, the PEPPSI themed (NHC)PdI2(pyridine) type precatalysts, 1b-4b, efficiently carried out the highly convenient Cu-fre...