LIGAND INFLUENCES ON THE SUPRAMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY OF SIMPLE GOLD(I) COMPLEXES - MONONUCLEAR (ISONITRILE)GOLD(I) COMPLEXES

A series of (isonitrile)gold(I) complexes has been synthesized: (MeNC) AuX (X = Cl 1a, I 1c), (t-BuNC)AuBr 2b, (PhNC)AuX (X = Cl 3a, Br 3b, I 3c, SCN 3d), (MesNC) AuCl 4a [mes = mesityl], and (MrOC(O)CH2NC)AnX ( X = Cl 5a, BI 5b, I 5c, SCN 5d). The chlorides were prepared by the re action of (Me(2)S)AuCl with equimolar amounts (or with an excess) of t he corresponding isonitrile. The bromides, iodides and thiocyanates we re obtained from the reaction of (RNC)AuCl with K(+)X(-) (X = Br, I, S CN) in the two-phase system H2O/CH2Cl2. The molecular and crystal stru ctures of 1a, 2b, 3a-c, 4a, and 5a-c have been determined by X-ray dif fraction methods. In the solid state the molecules are aggregated thro ugh short Au-Au contacts into dimers (4a and 5c), chains (1a, 2b and 3 a-c) or sheets (5a and 5b). The influence of the isonitrile and halide ligands on the type and strength of the intermolecular Au-Au contacts is discussed.