Heteronuclear complexes containing {Au2Rh}, {Au2Ir} and {AuIr} cores with a dithiolate ligand bridging the metal centres - X-ray structures of [Au2Ir(mu-S2C6H4)(cod)(PPh3)(2)]BF4 and [AuIr(mu-S2C6H3CH3)(cod)(PPh3)]

The use of dinuclear gold derivatives [AU(2)(mu -S-S)(PR3)(2)] (S-S = benze nedithiolate, toluenedithiolate; PR3 = PPh3, PPh2Me) as S-donor ligands, wi th rhodium and iridium complexes [M(cod)(2)]BF4 (M = Rh, Ir; cod = cyclooct adiene) affords new heteronuclear compounds containing the {Au2M} core, wit h the general formulation [Au2M(mu -S-S)- (cod)(PR3)(2)]BF4. One of these d ecomposes upon heating to give [AuIr(mu -S2C6H4CH3) (cod) (PPh3)]. The crys tal structure of the former and [Au2Ir(mu -S2C6H4) (cod) (PPh3)(2)]BF4 have been established by X-ray diffraction, The sulfur atoms from the dithiolen e ligands bridge two different metal centres.