Reactivity of mononuclear and dinuclear gold(I) amidinate complexes with CS2 and CsBr3

Abstract

To probe the reactivity of gold-nitrogen bonds, we have examined the insertion chemistry with carbon disulfide (CS2) as well as oxidation with cesium tribromide (CsBr3) with Au(I) amidinate complexes. The reaction of Ph3PAuCl with Na[(2,6-Me2C6H3N)2C(H)] yields the mononuclear, two-coordinate gold(I) complex, Ph3PAu[κ1-(2,6-Me2C6H3N)2C(H)], 1. The reactivity of 1 with CS2 produced the mononuclear Au(I) compound, Ph3PAu[κ1-S2C[(2,6-Me2C6H3N)2C(H)]], 2. In the case of CsBr3 the previously reported dinuclear Au(I) complex, Au[(2,6-Me2C6H3N)2C(H)]2, 3, was isolated with formation of Ph3PBr2. We also compared the reactivity of CS2 and CsBr3 with 3. Carbon disulfide insertion with 3 produces a dimeric product, Aun[CS2(2,6-Me2C6H3NC(H)=NC6H3Me2)]n, 4, featuring a dinuclear core with linking aurophilic interactions, making it appear polymeric in the solid state. When CsBr3 is reacted with 3 the Au(II,II) product is obtained, Au2[(2,6-Me2C6H3N)2C(H)]2(Br)2, 5.