Les carbènes N-hétérocycliques (NHC) sont très utilisés pour complexer les métaux de transition. Ils quittent rarement ce rôle de ligand ancillaire et trouvent, depuis une vingtaine d’années, des applications en catalyse ou, plus récemment, en chimie médicinale. Dans ce travail, nous discuterons d’une méthode de synthèse douce conduisant à la formation de complexes AgI – NHC via une source d’argent soluble. Cette méthode nous a permis d’obtenir des complexes bien connus mais également d’accéder à une nouvelle série de complexes NHC-Ag-phosphine. Nous présenterons également une nouvelle réaction où des NHC portant une fonction azoture à proximité du carbone du carbène quittent leur rôle de ligand ancillaire et conduisent à la formation d’hétérocycles azotés par cyclisation carbène-nitrène. Cette réaction sera présentée en détail, ainsi que la caractérisation spectroscopique concernant une sous-série de composés fluorescents obtenus par cette méthode. Enfin, nous présenterons une stratégie de post-fonctionnalisation de complexes développée dans notre équipe. Des complexes argent(I)-NHC portant un azoture proches du centre carbénique catalysent leur propre fonctionnalisation. De plus, des complexes de cuivre(I) portant des azotures en position éloignée du centre métallique seront greffés sur des nanoparticules magnétiques pour servir de catalyseur recyclables. / N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) are widely used to complex transition metals. They rarely leave their role as ancillary ligand and find, since 20 years, applications in catalysis or, more recently, in medicinal chemistry. In this work, we will discuss a mild synthetic method leading to the formation of AgI – NHC complexes via a soluble silver species. This method allowed us to obtain well known complexes but also to access a new series of NHC-Ag-phosphine complexes. We will also present a new reaction where NHC ligands bearing an azide function close to the carbenic center leave their role as ancillary ligand and lead to the formation of nitrogen rich heterocycles by a carbene-nitrene cyclization. This reaction will be presented in detail, along with the spectroscopic characterization regarding a sub-series of fluorescent compounds obtained by this method. Finally, we will present a post-functionalization strategy of complexes developed in our team. Silver(I)-NHC complexes tagged by an azide close to the carbenic center catalysed their own functionalization. Moreover, copper(I) complexes tagged by an azide function in a distant position from the metallic centre will be grafted on magnetic nanoparticles to act as recyclable catalysts.

Computational chemistry has gained interest as a characterization tool to predict photoluminescence, reactivity and structural properties of organic and transition metal complexes. With the rise of methods including relativity, these studies have been expanded to the accurate modeling of luminescence spectra of complexes with considerable spin-orbit splitting due to heavy metal centers as well as the reaction pathways for these complexes to produce natural products such as hydrogen gas. These advances have led to the synthesis and utility of more effective catalysis as well as the development of more effective organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) through the incorporation of organometallic complexes as emitters instead of typical organic emitters. In terms of significant scientific advancement presented in this work is in relation to the discovery of significant spin-orbit splitting in a gold(I) alkylphosphine complex, where the splitting results in the states that emit in different colors of the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This work also reveals the discovery both computationally and experimentally, of a genuine polar-covalent bond between two-closed shell metals. This work highlights a complex with an incredibly short gold(I) – copper(I) intermetallic distance leading to a vibrational frequency and dissociation energy that is on par with those of other systems with single-bonded metal centers. Lastly, this work outlines a strategy for the production of hydrogen gas through the use of trinuclear cyclic coinage metal complexes as catalysis to split hydrohalic acids.