Gold(I) phosphine complexes with bis(2-pyridyl)diselenoether: Synthesis and structure elucidation

Abstract Bis(2-pyridyl)diselenoether with the general formula (2-PySe) 2 (CH 2 ) ( L ) reacts with Ph 3 PAuCl and [(dpph)(AuCl) 2 ] dpph = 1,6-bis(diphenylphosphino)hexane to produce the respective complexes [( L )Au 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 ](PF 6 ) 2 ( 1 ) and [( L )(dpph)Au 2 (PF 6 ) 2 ] n ( 2 ). These complexes were isolated in crystalline form and studied using spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction techniques. The coordination of the ligand (2-PySe) 2 (CH 2 ) ( L ) to the gold(I) metal centers in complexes [( L )Au 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 ](PF 6 ) 2 ( 1 ) and [( L )(dpph)Au 2 (PF 6 ) 2 ] n ( 2 ) occurs via the nitrogen atom of the pyridine ring, with no interaction with the selenium atoms of the bis(2-pyridyl)diselenoether. The gold derivative (Ph 3 PAuCl or [(dpph)(AuCl) 2 ]) is responsible for the formation of a molecular complex ( 1 ) or a polymeric complex ( 2 ), and in both compounds the gold(I) metal atoms adopt an almost linear geometry.