Synthesis of luminescent trinuclear gold(I) derivatives with a triphosphine and S-donor ligands

We have prepared a series of trinuclear gold(I) complexes containing bis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)phenylphosphine (dpmp) and several anionic S-donor ligands. The reaction of [(AuCl)(3)(mu -dpmp)] with potassium ethyl xanthate afforded the trinuclear gold(I) complexes [Au3Cl3-x(S2COEt)(x)(mu -dpmp)] (x = 1, 2, 3). These complexes were readily transformed by reaction with silver trifate into [Au3Cl2-x(S2COEt)(x)(mu -dpmp)](CF3SO3) (x = 1, 2). Treatment of [(AuCl)(3)(mu -dpmp)] with sodium 2-pyridintkiolate or potassium thiocyanate led to complexes [Au3Cl3-x(2-SC5H4N)(x)(mu -dpmp)] (x = 1, 3) and [{Au(SCN)}(3)(mu -dpmp)]. The reaction of complex [Au3Cl2(S2COEt)(mu -dpmp)] with sodium dithiocarbamate yielded [Au3Cl(S2CNR2)(S2COEt)(mu -dpmp)] (R = Me, CH2Ph). We have studied the optical properties of these derivatives finding that most of them luminesce in the solid state at room temperature with emission maxima in the range 510-545, whilst at low temperature all are luminescent with emission maxima ranging from 480 to 545. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.