Synthesis, structure and spectroscopic properties of bis(triphenylphosphane)iminium (phenylacetylido)(cyanido)aurate(I) monoacetone monohydrate, (PPN)[Au(CN)(CCC6H5)]·H2O·(CH3)2CO and bis(triphenylphosphane)iminium (t-butylacetylido)(cyanido)aurate(I) monohydrate, (PPN)[Au(CN)(CCC4H9)]·H2O

Alsalme A., Jaafar M., Liu X., Dielmann F., Hahn F., Al-Farhan K., Reedijk J.

Abstract

Two new compounds containing the (acetylido)(cyanido)aurate(I) anion are reported. Their solid-state structures with the monocation PPN, bis(triphenylphosphane)iminium, are reported as a product containing a water molecule and an acetone molecule for the phenylacetylide compound, and as a monohydrate in the case of the t-butylacetylide compound. The gold atom is linearly coordinated with normal Au-C bonds in both cases (1.97-1.99 Å). Hydrogen bond chains are found from N to water and from water to acetone, with H bond D⋯A contact distances of 2.92 Å (O⋯O) and 3.01 Å (O⋯N) for the phenylacetylide compound. The PPN cation has normal bond lengths in both compounds and no short contacts with other atoms in the lattice are observed. The luminescence properties of both compounds have been measured as solid powders. The phenylacetylide compound shows medium strength emission with two peaks at 431 and 454 nm when excited at 310 nm. The excitation spectra monitored at 431 and 454 nm, respectively, show similar spectra with a broad band maximum at 310-317 nm. Surprisingly, the t-butylacetylide compound displays negligible luminescence.