Functionalised N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands in Bimetallic Architectures

N‐Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have become immensely successful ligands in coordination chemistry and homogeneous catalysis due to their strong terminal σ‐donor properties. However, by targeting NHC ligands with additional functionalisation, a new area of NHC coordination chemistry has developed that has enabled NHCs to be used to build up bimetallic and multimetallic architectures. This minireview covers the development of functionalised NHC ligands that incorporate additional donor sites in order to coordinate two or more metal atoms. This can be through the N‐atom of the NHC ring, through a donor group attached to the N‐atom or the carbon backbone, coordination of the π‐bond or an annulated π‐donor on the backbone, or through direct metalation of the backbone. Bimetallic carbene complexes: This minireview covers the use of N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands in the formation of bimetallic architectures. NHCs are shown to bind one metal through the conventional C2 position and coordinate to another through donor atoms tethered to the NHC, through the N atom itself or through the NHC backbone. These bimetallic species are potentially useful models for decomposition reactions in homogeneous catalysis and organometallic chemistry.