Heteropolynuclear Phosphide Complexes: Phosphorus as Unique Atom Bridging Coinage Metal Centres

In this paper we describe the synthesis and reactivity of the diphenylphosphine derivatives [Au(C6F5)(PPh2H)] and trans-[Au(C6F5)2(PPh2H) 2]ClO4. Reactions of the latter or the neutral [Au(C6F5)3(PPh2H)] with the appropriate Group 11 metal reagents (M = Au, Ag, Cu) in the presence of acetylacetonate afford a series of novel AuIII-M phosphido-bridged complexes, which have been scarcely represented to date. The crystal structure of the tetranuclear [{Au(C6F5)2(-PPh2) 2Ag}2] and the dinuclear [Au(C6F5)3(-PPh2)M(PPh 3)] (M = Au, Ag) complexes were established by X-ray diffraction methods. The synthesis and deprotonating activity of the anionic gold(III) complex PPN[Au(C6F5)3(acac)] (PNN= [N(PPh3)2]+) was studied