Carboxylative cyclization of propargylic amines with CO2 catalyzed by dendritic N-heterocyclic carbene-gold(I) complexes

We prepared several of a new type of dendritic N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-gold(I) complex. In particular, by employing an amphiphilic dendritic NHC-gold(I) complex having penta(ethylene glycol) units at the peripheral layer as a catalyst, the aqueous media carboxylative cyclization of propargylic amines proceeded smoothly to provide the corresponding 2-oxazolidinone at room temperature under atmospheric pressure of CO2.

141