Polymers and rings in gold(i) diphosphine complexes: linking gold rings through aurophilic interactions
Abstract
Gold(I) complex cations of empirical formula Au[Ph2P(CH2)nPPh2 ]+ crystallize as rings [Au2{Ph2P(CH2)n PPh2}2]2+ when n = 3 or 5 but as a polymer [{Au[Ph2P(CH2)nPPh2 ]}x]x+ when n = 4. In favorable cases, the ring complexes can be connected through aurophilic bonding by addition of [Au(CN)2]−, and crystals contain pentagold units when n = 3 or polymeric pleated chains when n = 5.