Enantioselective All-Carbon (4+2) Annulations by N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysis

This thesis details the development of novel reactions catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes. These reactions provide access to six membered rings with selectivity for a single 3D structure that have been demonstrated to have utility in further synthetic operations. These species have also been shown to display antimicrobial activity against nosocomial pathogens K. pneumonia, A. baumannii and C. albicans.