Transition Metal Complexes of Anionic N-Heterocyclic Dicarbene Ligands

A tale of two carbenes: Reaction of :C[N(2,6‐iPr2C6H3)CH]2 (IPr) with Mn3(mes)6 (mes=2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl) yielded the trigonal planar complex [Mn(IPr)(mes)2]. Reduction of this species with potassium/graphite in THF afforded the polymeric dicarbene‐bridged species K[{:C[N(2,6‐iPr2C6H3)]2(CH)C}2Mn(mes)(thf)]⋅THF (see picture). The anionic moiety in this complex is the first reported example of a transition metal complex containing an N‐heterocyclic dicarbene ligand. Gray C, blue N, red Mn.