Dinuclear gold(I) complexes: from bonding to applications.

The last two decades have seen a veritable explosion in the use of gold(I) complexes bearing N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and phosphine (PR3) ligands. Both ligand families have significantly contributed to the stability and design of a plethora of gold complexes. Design is oftentimes associated with application. Here, we wish to present an overview of the synthesis and structural properties of dinuclear gold(I) complexes reported to date with their applications across numerous research areas.