Newly synthesized furanoside-based NHC ligands for the arylation of aldehydes.

New furanoside-based NHC precursor salts (2) were synthesized using amino alcohols from the chloralose derivatives of glucose (a), galactose (b), and mannose (c). The novel compounds were fully characterized by ¹H NMR, 13C NMR, and elemental analyses. The catalytic activities of these salts were tested in the arylation of aldehydes as catalysts that were generated in situ from [RhCl(COD)] 2. In addition, 2a was converted to the rhodium complex 3a in order to compare the results obtained in situ. The newly synthesized compounds were very efficient in terms of yield; nevertheless they did not exhibit a chiral induction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]