Reactions of low-valent metal complexes with fluorocarbons. Part XXII. Tertiary phosphine gold complexes

Abstract

Methyl (triphenyl- and diphenylmethyl-phosphine) gold react with tetrafluoroethylene on u.v. irradiation to give Au(L)CF₂·CF₂Me (L = PPh₃ or PPh₂Me), and with perfluoropropene to give Au(L)CF(CF₃)·CF₂Me. Chlorotrifluoroethylene and Au(PPh₃)Me yield Au(PPh₃)CFCl·CF₂Me. In contrast with the formation of these mononuclear gold compounds, hexafluoroacetone reacts with the methyl(phosphine) gold compounds to give binuclear complexes LAu·O·C(CF₃)₂·AuL. Side products of these reactions are the non-organometallic compounds LAu·O·C(CF₃)₂·O·AuL; formed in high yield by treating Au(L)Me with hexafluoroacetone hydrate.

Hexafluorobut-2-yne reacts with methyl(triphenylphosphine) gold either thermally or on u.v. irradiation to give cis-(Ph₃PAu)C(CF₃):C(CF₃)(AuPPh₃). The thermal reaction is accompanied by formation of the phosphorane Ph₃[graphic omitted](CF₃). Reactions of Au(PPh₃)Me with perfluorocarboxylic acids are also described.