A tropylium annulated N-heterocyclic carbene†
Abstract
Derivatives of the cationic tropylium annulated imidazolylidene ITrop+ are obtained by hydride abstraction from related cycloheptatriene compounds. Spectroscopic, structural and theoretical data indicate that, as a cationic relative of benzimidazolylidenes, ITrop+ has highly reduced σ-donor and strong π-acceptor character.