(Trimethylphosphine)(triphenylsilyl)gold(I) and related compounds

Mononuclear coordination compounds of the type (R3P)AuSiR3' with R = R' = P h and R = Me, R' = Ph have been obtained from reactions of the correspondin g halide complexes (R3P)AuCl with the silyllithium reagent LiSiPh3. The ful ly phenylated species undergoes ligand redistribution in solution to give h omoleptic ionic species. (Me3P)AuSiPh3 is less susceptible to this process and crystallizes from solutions as the heteroleptic complex. The crystal st ructure of this compound has been determined by X-ray diffraction.. In the crystal lattice the molecules are not associated.