AMINO(THIO)- AND DIAMINOCARBENE COMPLEXES OF GOLD(I) AND (III). G.J.Kruger, H.G.Raubenheimer, P.J.Olivier and M.Desmet, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg-Auckland Park 2006, South Africa

Gold(I) compounds tend to form aurate complexes upon reaction with 2- lithio-thiazolyl and 2-lithio-imidazolyl reagents. These complexes form mono- and bis(carbene) complexes of gold after electrophilic attack with H⁺ or CH₃⁺. The following compounds were prepared and their crystal structures determined:

1. bis[bis(4-methylthiazolinylidene)gold(I)] tetrachloro zincate dichloro- methane-[Au(CNHCCH₃=CHS)₂]₂ZnCl₄.CH₂Cl₂

2. bis(3-methylthiazolinylidene)gold(I) trifluoromethanesulphonate- [Au(CNCH₃CH=CHS)₂]CF₃SO₃

3. (1,3-dimethylimidazolinylidene)(methylimidazolinylidene)gold(I) trifluoromethanesulphonate-[Au(CNCH₃CH=CHNCH₃)(CNHCH=CHNCH₃)]CF₃SO₃

4. bis(1,3-dimethylimidazolinylidene)gold(III) dichloride trifluoromethane-sulphonate-[Au(CNCH₃CH=CHNCH₃)₂Cl₂]CF₃SO₃

5. Chloro(3-methylbenzothiazolinylidene)gold(I) - AuCl(CNCH₃C₆H₄S-o)

6. bis(3-methylbenzothiazolinylidene)gold(I) trifluoromethanesulphonate - [Au(CNCH₃C₆H₄S-o)₂]CF₃SO₃

In all of the gold(I) complexes the gold is linearly coordinated to the ligands, and the gold(III) complex is square planar, with Au-C distances of 1.92 to 2.13 Å. Short intermolecular Au...Au contacts of 3.19 to 3.51 Å occur in complexes 1, 2 and 5.