carbene

The charge rips a water molecule from an individual methanol molecule sitting on a nanowire surface, leaving behind a reactive compound called methyl carbene.

While the water molecule floats away, the carbene reacts with a neighboring methanol molecule to make ethanol.

Sundermann, A., Reiher, M. & Schoeller, W. W. Isoelectronic Arduengo-type carbene analogues with the group IIIa elements boron, aluminum, gallium, and indium.

Asay, M., Jones, C. & Driess, M. N-heterocyclic carbene analogues with low-valent group 13 and group 14 elements: syntheses, structures, and reactivities of a new generation of multitalented ligands.

Catalytic B−H bond insertion reactions using alkynes as carbene precursors.