Going for gold – the chemistry of structurally authenticated gold(i)–ethylene complexes

Abstract

Gold coordination chemistry and catalysis involving unsaturated hydrocarbons such as olefins have experienced a remarkable growth during the last few decades. Despite the importance, isolable and well-characterized molecules with ethylene, the simplest and the most widely produced olefin, on gold are still limited. This review aims to cover features of, and strategies utilized to stabilize, gold–ethylene complexes and their diverse use in chemical transformations and homogeneous catalytic processes. Isolable and well-authenticated gold–ethylene complexes are important not only for structural, spectroscopic, and bonding studies but also as models for likely intermediates in gold mediated reactions of alkenes and gold–alkene species observed in the gas phase. There has also been development on Au^I/III catalytic cycles. Nitrogen based ligands have been the most widely utilized ligand supports thus far for the successful stabilization of gold–ethylene adducts. Gold has a bright future in olefin chemistry and with ethylene.