Structural and photophysical characterization of gold(I) complexes bearing naphthyl chromophores

Abstract We prepared two chlorido-gold(I) complexes of the type L–Au–Cl bearing a naphthyl moiety: Complex 1 with L = tris-1-naphthyl-phosphine shows standard linear coordination without further aggregation in the solid state. Complex 2 with L = 2-naphthyl-isonitrile is engaged in a complex network of aurophilic and π–π interactions. The two complexes show similar luminescence behaviour in solution at room temperature with both intraligand fluorescence and phosphorescence. At 77 K the emission spectra are dominated by intraligand phosphorescence, which is typical of gold complexes with extended π-chromophores.