It is better to light a candle than to curse the dark. AbstractThe copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition for the synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles (CuAAC) is a variant of Huisgen's 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition which disburdens the thermal reaction from its major drawbacks such as poor regioselectivity, long reaction times and harsh conditions. In contrast to the widely used "black box" reagent mixtures, a molecularly defined, highly active catalyst system for homogeneous CuAAC reactions has been developed in this PhD project. In dependence on the postulated stepwise mechanism, its most important structural feature is the presence of two copper(I) ions irreversibly bound in the same catalyst molecule.A highly modular and profitable synthesis for bistriazolium hexafluorophosphate salts as precursors for the ancillary ligand system was devised. In analogy to the CuAAC catalyst systems of general formula [(NHC) 2 Cu]PF 6 described in literature, novel dinuclear copper(I) complexes with a bistriazolylidene ligand backbone and 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-imidazol-2-ylidene (IPr) as sacrificial ligand were prepared.However, these complexes did not show the expected high catalytic activity, most probably due to the strong coordination of the IPr ligands. In consequence, another family of dinuclear copper(I) complexes with m-coordinated acetate as labile ligand was synthesized by reaction of the bistriazolium hexafluorophosphate ligand precursors with copper(I) acetate in the presence of a base.The broad applicability and high catalytic activity of one of these bistriazolylidene dicopper acetate complexes was confirmed by a series of gaschromatographically mo-

An enantio-, diastereo-, regio-, and chemoselective phosphine-catalyzed β,γ-umpolung domino reaction of allenic esters with dienones has been developed for the first time. The designed sequence, involving oxy-Michael and Rauhut-Currier reactions, produced highly functionalized tetrahydrobenzofuranones, bearing a chiral tetrasubstituted stereogenic center, in up to 96 % ee.

The first enantioselective allylic hydroxylation to prepare branched allylic alcohols directly is described. Bicarbonate was used as nucleophile in conjunction with new single component Ir-catalysts, which are stable to air and water. Excellent regio- and enantioselectivities have been achieved with a representative set of substrates.

The cyclization of acetanilides with alkyne derivatives has been accomplished via a rhodium catalyzed direct C–H functionalization/cyclization pathway in the presence of a photoredox catalyst.

Ruthenium η 4 -trimethylenemethane complexes containing two different tridentate phosphine ligands have been synthesized. The formation of the complexes using [Ru(η 4 -COD)(η 3 -CH 2 CMeCH 2 ) 2 ] as the metal precursor occurred via elimination of isobutene. An intermediate species has been isolated in which the ligand coordinates with only two phosphorus atoms. Furthermore, protonation of the trimethylenemethane ligand gave rise to a cationic methylallyl complex.