White phosphorus as a ligand for the coinage metals

Reaction of equimolar quantities of MX (M = Au, Cu, X = Cl; M = Ag, X = OTf) and GaCl3 in CH2Cl2 with P4 leads to phosphorus ligating a cationic coinage metal centre. For Cu and Ag, ion-contacted coordination polymers are formed; for Au, an ion-separated complex is observed that features the [Au(η2-P4)2]+ cation, which is the first homoleptic Au–P4 complex to be characterised in the condensed phase.