The electrochemical activity of heteroatom-stabilised Fischer-type carbene complexes

A cyclic voltammetry study of some alkoxy, amino and hydrazino carbene complexes of chromium and tungsten has been performed, affording for the first time a detailed overview on the electrochemical activity of this useful and versatile compound class, focusing on the modulating effects of both the carbene metal and substituents. The interest for the above results is also related to the possibility of using Fischer carbenes as new electrochemical active probes for labeling ‘peptide nucleic acids’, which are DNA analogues, for diagnostic purposes.