SYNTHESIS AND SPECTROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF (TRIETHYLPHOSPHINE)GOLD(I) COMPLEXES AUX(PET3) (X=CL, BR, CN, SCN), [AUL(PET3)+] (L=SME2, SC(NH2)2, H2O), AND (MU-S)[AU(PET3)]2

Neutral complexes of the type AuX(PEt3) (X = Br, CN, SCN) were prepared and characterized by infrared and Raman spectroscopy, with the major emphasis on the assignment of the gold—ligand vibrations and discerning the mode of bonding for the ambidentate ligands. The photosensitive cationic complexes [(Au(SMe2)(PEt3)]PF6and (Au[SC(NH2)2](PEt3))Cl in addition to [Au(OH2)(PEt3)]NO3and (µ-S)[(PEt3)Au]2were also prepared and characterized by infrared and NMR spectroscopy. In both cases in which the ambidentate ligands SCN−and SC(NH2)2were complexed with Au(I), the sulfur atom coordinates to the metal, providing evidence for a symbiotic relationship in these complexes. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.