Synthesis of an expanded pincer ligand and its bimetallic coinage metal complexes.

An expanded pincer ligand tBu-PONNOP (2,7-bis(di-tert-butylphosphinito)-1,8-naphthyridine) has been synthesised and its coordination to coinage metals has been studied. Bimetallic complexes were produced with metal halide salts of the type [M2X2(tBu-PONNOP)] (X = Cl, M = Au, Ag, Cu; X = I, M = Cu) with a varying degree of interaction with the naphthyridyl backbone in the order Au < Ag < Cu. The salts [Ag2(tBu-PONNOP)2][BArF4]2 (ArF = 3,5-C6H3(CF3)2) and [Ag2(NCMe)2(tBu-PONNOP)]X2 (X = BArF4, PF6) were prepared, which may serve as a source of tBu-PONNOP via transmetallation.