Acetate ion can deprotonate thiazolium cations to give the free NHC in DMF.
Acetate ion cannot deprotonate imidazolium cations to give the free NHC in DMF.
Cyclic voltammetric analysis can evidence NHC in azolium and acetate solutions.
The thiazolium and acetate couple in DMF can catalyze the benzoin condensation.
The imidazolium and acetate couple in DMF cannot catalyze the benzoin condensation.