Supported Au Nanoparticles with N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands as Active and Stable Heterogeneous Catalysts for Lactonization

Attachment of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) on the surface of metal nanoparticle (NP) catalysts permits fine-tuning of catalytic activity and product selectivity. Yet, NHC-coated Au NPs have been seldom used in catalysis beyond hydrogenation chemistry. One challenge in this field has been to develop a platform that permits arbitrary ligand modification without having to compromise NP stability toward aggregation or leaching. Herein, we exploit...