A sterically driven synthetic route from non-bulky silver NHC to novel Ru(NHC) complexes and from bulky Ag(NHC) to unprecedented heterobimetallic Ru–Ag(NHC) complexes is presented.
Simple synthesis of [(NHC)CuX] and [(NHC)2Cu]PF6 complexes with cheap copper powder in both organic solvent and water is described.