New ruthenium chelate and ruthenate complexes were synthesized through the reaction of benzimidazolium salts and [RuCl2(p-cymene)](2) in toluene and characterized by elemental analysis, H-1 NMR and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. These ruthenium complexes were tested as catalysts in the intermolecular hydroamination reactions between styrene with aromatic amines in ionic liquid. All of these complexes tested here showed good catalytic activity in these reactions. The hydroamination reactions regioselectively produced anti-Markovnikov addition products in moderate to good yields by using 1 mol% of the ruthenium complex.

A series of new rhodium(I) complexes with benzimidazole based N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand were synthesized by reactions of benzimidazolium salts with [Rh(OMe)COD](2). The characterization of rhodium(I) complexes with the general formula [RhCl(NHC)(eta(4)-1,5-cyclooctadiene)] was done by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods. All the synthesized complexes were tested as catalysts in the intermolecular hydroamination reactions between styrene with aromatic amines in ionic liquid. All of these complexes tested here are catalytically active for the intermolecular hydroamination of styrene with aromatic amines in ionic liquid. The anti-Markovnikov addition products were obtained selectively by using 1 mol% of the rhodium complex.

Both in situ prepared Pd-NHC and NHC-Pd-PEPPSI complexes were tested as catalysts in the intermolecular hydroamination reactions between styrene with various anilines in ionic liquid. All of the compounds tested here are catalytically active for the intermolecular hydroamination of styrene with aromatic amines. The anti-Markovnikov addition products were obtained selectively by using 1 mol% of the palladium complex.

Seven novel naphthalen-1-ylmethyl substituted silver N-heterocyclic carbene (Ag–NHC) complexes (1–7) were synthesized by the interaction of benzimidazolium salts with silver carbonate in dry dichloromethane at room temperature and characterized by means of spectroscopic methods and elemental analysis techniques. The Ag–NHC compounds were tested for their in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis and showed high antimicrobial activities. The synthesized complexes, in particular, demonstrated better results against both fungi and gram-positive bacteria.

Six palladium(II) complexes with benzimidazole-based N-heterocyclic carbene ligands were synthesized by transmetallation reactions between silver(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes and PdCl2(PhCN)(2). The complexes were characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods. The palladium complexes were tested as catalysts for intermolecular hydroamination reactions of styrene with various anilines in ionic liquids under both conventional and microwave heating. All of these complexes proved to be catalytically active in these reactions. The anti-Markovnikov addition products were selectively obtained by using 1 mol% of the palladium complex.

PdCl2(NHC)(2) complexes have been synthesized by the reaction of palladium acetate with a series of benzimidazolium and imidazolinium salts and characterized by elemental analysis, H-1 NMR and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. These complexes were used as catalysts for the intermolecular hydroamination reactions between styrene with various anilines in ionic liquid at 160 degrees C and corresponding anti-Markovnikov products were obtained with a selectivity of 100% in good yields.

2-Methoxyethyl, 2-diethylaminoethyl, and 2-phenylethyl-substituted N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursors were treated with Ag2CO3 to yield silver(I)-NHC complexes (1a--g) in dichloromethane as a solvent at room temperature. The 7 new silver-NHC complexes were fully characterized by means of 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and elemental analysis techniques. Using the agar dilution procedure recommended by the Laboratory and Clinical Standards Institute, the antimicrobial activities of all the silver-NHC complexes were studied against 2 gram-negative bacterial strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli), 2 gram-positive bacterial strains (Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus), and 2 fungi (Candida tropicalis and Candida albicans).