A new entry to N-heterocyclic carbene chemistry: synthesis and characterisation of a triscarbene complex of thallium(I)

The synthesis and characterisation of a thallium(I) triscarbene complex of the chelating, tripodal carbene ligand 1,3,5-{tris(3-tert-butylimidazol-2ylideno)methyl}-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene is reported, in which the thallium ion is coordinated by three N-heterocyclic carbene donors in a distorted trigonal planar environment.