"Diazo groups are the most commonly used precursors for the controlled formation of very widely employed metal carbenes. However, the potential hazards associated with their use, coupled with the synthetic inefficiency and structural and functional group restrictions that are imposed from their installation, are limiting. This project is aimed at developing, studying and applying an alternative diazofree approach to access versatile metal carbenoid intermediates. New methodologies will result in valuable N-heterocyclic structures widely found in functional materials and many biologically active natural products, pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. The proposed gold-catalysed novel transformations of ynamides will be combined with recent advances in copper catalysis for a short, efficient and general two-step synthetic strategy to prepare a wide variety of functionalised N-heterocycles from simple amine derivatives and (pseudo)alkynes. After establishing the reactivity concept, which will further the understanding of a new area of transition-metal catalysis, the wider synthetic applicability of this strategy will be explored. The potential value and impact of this method will be demonstrated to the wider synthetic community by its specific utility in target-led synthesis.Alongside the scientific impact of the research, the incorporated outreach activities will increase public awareness of the relevance of such research, generate enthusiasm in younger generations to pursue interest in science, and establish a generally accessible resource on gold catalysis. The skills and experience generated in this manner will complement the scientific leadership, communication and knowledge-transfer ability which will be established alongside the practical and intellectual skills and expertise in transition-metal catalysis and methodology that develop from this project."