PREPARATION OF PENTAHALOPHENYL PARA-TOLYLISOCYANIDE COMPLEXES OF GOLD(I) AND THEIR REACTIONS WITH AMINES, AMMONIA AND ALCOHOLS

(Pentahalophenyl) (p-tolylisocyanide)gold(I) complexes were prepared by treating Au(C6X5) (tetrahydrothiophen) (X = F, Cl or Br) with p-MeC6H4NC. Their reactivity toward nucleophiles was studied and found to decrease in the sequence: primary amines > ammonia > secondary amines > aromatic amines > alcohols; the effects of the various C6X5 groups were less pronounced, but decreased according to C6F5 > C6Cl5 > C6Br5. Twenty-five novel gold(I) carbene derivatives were isolated. © 1979.