Mesitylgold complexes: synthesis and reactivity; crystal structure of [{(Ph3P)Au(µ-mes)Ag(tht)}2][SO3CF3]2(mes = mesityl, tht = tetrahydrothiophene)

Abstract

The complex [AuCl(AsPh₃)] reacted with MgBr(mes)(mes = mesityl) to give the corresponding gold(I) derivative [Au(mes)(AsPh₃)], which undergoes substitution reactions with neutral ligands to give the neutral complexes [Au(mes)L](L = Ph₂PCH₂PPh₂, PPh₃ or PPh₂Me) or with QX to afford anionic complexes Q[Au(mes)X][X = Cl. Q = P(CH₂Ph)Ph₃; X = Br, Q = N(PPh₃)₂]. The latter reacted with X₂(X = Cl or Br) to give gold(III) complexes, Q[Au(mes)X₃][X = Cl, Q = P(CH₂Ph)Ph₃; X = Br, Q = N(PPh₃)₂]. The reaction of [Au(mes)(PPh₃)] with [Ag(OSO₂CF₃)L][L = PPh₃ or tetra-hydrothiophene (tht)] afforded [{(Ph₃P)Au(µ-mes)AgL}_n][SO₃CF₃]_n(L = PPh₃, n= 1; L = tht, n= 2). The structure of [{(Ph₃P)Au(µ-mes)Ag(tht)}₂][SO₃CF₃]₂ has been determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study, which shows an Au–Ag distance of 2.8245(6)Å.