Copper(I) thiophenolate in copper N-heterocyclic carbene preparation

Copper(I) thiophenolate was considered as a copper source for the synthesis of Cu(I)-N-heterocyclic carbenes (Cu(I)-NHCs). It displayed a dual mode of reactivity allowing the synthesis of both thiophenolato-Cu(I)-NHCs via the free carbene in a one-pot procedure starting from imidazolium chlorides and chloro-Cu(I)-NHCs by a salt metathesis reaction starting from chloro-Ag(I)-NHCs.