Gold and silver catalysis: from organic transformation to bioconjugation.

This review focuses on gold (including gold(I) and gold(III) complexes, and gold nanoparticles) and silver(I) catalysis, including aerobic oxidation, activation of C-H bonds and activation of C-C multiple bonds, and their applications in the modification of biomolecules, including oligosaccharides, peptides and polypeptides, reported since the year 2000. Because of the high carbophilicity of gold and silver compounds, gold or silver-catalysed/mediated organic transformations feature high functional group tolerance, excellent regio-, diastereo- or enantioselectivity and/or high product turnover numbers under mild reaction conditions.