Patent ID: 8278456

Claim:
A stable neutral compound of formula: wherein: R 1 is a persistent carbene selected from the group consisting of imidazole-2-ylidenes, triazole-5-ylidenes, cyclic diaminocarbenes, acyclic diaminocarbenes, heteroaminocarbenes, and combinations thereof; R 2 and R 3 are, independently of each other, absent or are selected from the group consisting of: H, F, Br, Cl, I, and combinations thereof; and E is B, Si, or P; with the proviso that: when E is B, is ═, R 2 is absent and R 3 is H, F, Br, or Cl; when E is B and is ═, R 2 and R 3 are, independently of each other, H, F, Br, or Cl; when E is Si, and is ═, both R 2 and R 3 are absent; when E is Si, and is —, R 2 is absent and R 3 is H, F, Br, Cl, or I; when E is P and is —, both R 2 and R 3 are absent.