Homogeneous Schrock-type carbene complexes such as Tebbe's reagent can be used for the olefination of carbonyls, replacing the oxygen atom with a methylidene group. The nucleophilic carbon atom behaves similarly to the carbon atom of the phosphorus ylide in the Wittig reaction, attacking the electrophilic carbonyl atom of a ketone, followed by elimination of a metal oxide.
In the nucleophilic abstraction reaction, a methyl group can be abstracted from the donating group of a Fischer carbene, making it a strong nucleophile for further reaction.
Diazo compounds like methyl phenyldiazoacetate can be used for cyclopropanation or to insert into C-H bonds of organic substrates. These reactions are catalyzed by dirhodium tetraacetate or related chiral derivatives. Such catalysis is assumed to proceed via the intermediacy of carbene complexes.