Crystal and molecular structure of µ-[1,2-bis(phenylthio)ethane]-bis-[chlorogold(I)]

Abstract

Crystals of the title compound are triclinic, spacegroup P, with a= 6·382(9), b= 14·878(12)c= 8·975(9)Å, α= 85·91(11), β= 100·94(12), γ= 87·46(13)°, Z= 2. The intensities of 1040 independent reflections were collected by counter methods; the structure was solved by Patterson and Fourier methods and refined by full-matrix least-squares methods to R 0·074. The asymmetric unit contains two independent C₇H₇SCIAu ‘half-dimer’ units. Thus both dimers are centrosymmetric, with planar S–C–C–S linkages. While this linkage has the trans-conformation in both dimers, the remaining atoms have conformations which differ by a rotation of ca. 113° of the S–Au–Cl grouping about the S–C bonds. Each gold atom is bonded to a sulphur atom [2·258(11) and 2·260(12)Å] and to a chlorine atom [2·329(8) and 2·293(10)Å] with almost linear Cl–Au–S groups [177·8(4) and 173·5(4)°]. In the crystal, there are infinite chains of almost linear ·Au ⋯ Au ⋯ Au· contacts [3·187(2) and 3·209(2)Å].