POLYNUCLEAR GOLD(I) COMPLEXES OF DENDRITIC AMINES - FORMATION OF TERMINAL TRIS[(TRIPHENYLPHOSPHINE)AURIO(I)] AMMONIUM GROUPS - N(AUPPH(3))(3)(1+)

The reactions of dendritic amines RN(CH2CH2CH2NH2)2 (R = Me, c-Hex, PhCH(2)) and N(CH2CH2NH2)(3) with tris[(triphenylphosphine)aurio(I)]oxonium tetrafluoroborate [O(AuPPh(3))(3)](BF4-)-B-+ in THF yield species with terminal imido cluster groups -N(AuPPh(3))(3)(1+). The compounds have been obtained as stable crystalline solids in high yields and characterized by NMR spectroscopy as well as mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The triply charged nonanuclear complex [N(CH2CH2N(AuPPh(3))(3))(3)](3+) exhibits major changes in the H-1 spectroscopic data and in the chemical properties as compared with compounds with dications [RN(CH2CH2CH2N(AuPPh(3))(3))(2)](2+) (R = Me, c-Hex, PhCH(2)). Excessive auration to give hypercoordinated species has not been observed.