Patent ID: 7312331

Claim:
A stable carbene having the formula: wherein the A ring is a 4-, 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; L is a linking group of from one to four ring vertices selected from the group consisting of C, O, N, B, Al, P, S and Si with available valences optionally occupied by H, oxo or R a substituents; R is a member selected from the group consisting of C 1-10 alkyl, C 2-10 alkenyl, C 2-10 alkynyl and aryl, wherein each is optionally substituted R a substituents; R 1 and R 2 are members independently selected from the group consisting of C 1-10 alkyl, C 2-10 alkenyl, C 2-10 alkynyl, aryl, C 1-10 alkoxy, C 2-10 alkenyloxy, C 2-10 alkynyloxy, aryloxy, C 2-10 alkoxycarbonyl, C 1-10 alkylthio, C 1-10 alkylsulfonyl and C 1-10 alkylsulfinyl, or optionally are combined to form a 3- to 12-membered spirocyclic ring, said spirocyclic ring being optionally substituted with R b substituents; wherein each R a and R b is independently selected from the group consisting of C 1-10 alkyl, C 2-10 alkenyl, C 2-10 alkynyl, aryl, C 1-10 alkoxy, C 2-10 alkenyloxy, C 2-10 alkynyloxy, aryloxy, C 2-10 alkoxycarbonyl, C 1-10 alkylthio, C 1-10 alkylsulfonyl, C 1-10 alkylsulfinyl, oxo, amino, imines, nitrogen heterocycles, hydroxy, thiol, thiono, phosphorus and carbene groups.