GOLD(I) COMPLEXES OF CHIRAL SECONDARY PHOSPHINES

The reaction of (dimethylsulfide) gold(I) chloride and bromide with me thyl (phenyl)phosphine in tetrahydrofuran affords high yields of the c olorless, crystalline, chiral complexes [Me(Ph)HP]AuCl/Br (la, b). Tre atment of la with potassium iodide in thf leads to a conversion into t he corresponding iodide [Me(Ph)HP]AuI(lc). The compounds were characte rized by their analytical and spectroscopic data, and the crystal stru ctures of la, b have been determined. The two compounds are isomorphou s. In the lattice the monomers form chain-like supramolecular aggregat es through auriophilic Au-Au contacts. The chains contain both enantio mers following the sequence ..R S R S R S.., with the individual compo nents related by crystal symmetry.