Reaction of [{Au(C6X5)2}Ag]n (X = Cl, F) with the crown thioethers 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane ([9]aneS3), 1,4,8,11-tetrathiacyclotetradecane ([14]aneS4), or 1,4,7,10,13,16,19,22-octathiacyclotetracosane ([24]aneS8) affords a series of heteronuclear Au(I)/Ag(I) compounds of stoichiometry [{Au(C6X5)2}Ag(L)x] (L = [9]aneS3, x = 2 (1, 4); L = [14]aneS4, x = 1 (2, 5); L = [24]aneS8, x = 0.5 (3, 6)) formed via Ag-S bonds and Au···Ag contacts. X-ray diffraction studies of some of these complexes reveal different structural arrangements and nuclearity depending on the nature of the crown thioether ligand and on the presence or absence of aurophilic interactions. All the complexes are luminescent in the solid state but not in solution. Density functional theory calculations on representative model systems of complexes 2-4 and 6 were carried out to determine the origin of the electronic transitions responsible for their optical properties, which strongly depend on the nature of the perhalophenyl groups bonded to gold.

The polymeric Au/Tl compounds [{Au(C6X5)2}Tl]n (X = Cl, F) react with the crown thioethers 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane ([9]aneS3), 1,5,8,11-tetrathiacyclotetradecane ([14]aneS4), and 1,4,7,10,13,16,19,22-octathiacyclotetracosane ([24]aneS8) in an appropriate molar ratio to afford [{Au(C6X5)2}Tl(L)]2 [L = [9]aneS3, X = Cl (1), F (4); L = [14]aneS4, X = Cl (2), F (5)], [{Au(C6Cl5)2}2Tl2([24]aneS8)]n (3) or [{Au(C6F5)2}2Tl2([24]aneS8)] (6). X-ray diffraction studies of 3, 4 and 6 reveal polymeric (3) or tetranuclear (4, 6) structures formed via Tl-S bonds and AuTl or AuTl and AuAu contacts. All the complexes are luminescent in the solid state, but not in solution, where the metal-metal interactions, which are responsible for the luminescence, are no longer present. DFT calculations on representative model systems of complexes 3, 4 and 6 have also been carried out in order to determine the origin of the electronic transitions responsible for their optical properties.

Reaction of [Au(C6F5)(tht)] (tht = tetrahydrothiophene) with 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (terpy) leads to complex [Au(C6F5)(η1-terpy)] (1). The chemical oxidation of complex (1) with 2 equiv of [N(C6H4Br-4)3](PF6) or using electrosynthetic techniques affords the Au(III) complex [Au(C6F5)(η3-terpy)](PF6)2 (2). The X-ray diffraction study of complex 2 reveals that the terpyridine acts as tridentate chelate ligand, which leads to a slightly distorted square-planar geometry. Complex 1 displays fluorescence in the solid state at 77 K due to a metal (gold) to ligand (terpy) charge transfer transition, whereas complex 2 displays fluorescence in acetonitrile due to excimer or exciplex formation. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations match the experimental absorption spectra of the synthesized complexes. In order to further probe the frontier orbitals of both complexes and study their redox behavior, each compound was separately characterized using cyclic voltammetry. The bulk electrolysis of a solution of complex 1 was analyzed by spectroscopic methods confirming the electrochemical synthesis of complex 2.

The complexes [Au(C6F5)2(4-X-Py)2]ClO4 (X = CN (1), H (2), CH3 (3)) and [Au(C6F5)Cl2(4-X-Py)] (X = CN (4), H (5), CH3 (6)) have been synthesized. The crystal structure of complexes 1, 3·0.5Et2O, 4, and 5 have been determined by X-ray diffraction methods. The photophysical behavior of all complexes has been studied experimentally through UV/vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence studies. TD-DFT calculations and full optimization of the ground state (S0) and lowest triplet excited state (T1) have been carried out in order to assign the photophysical properties of the complexes.

The reactions of 4(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) with the gold(I) precursors [AuR(tht)] (R = C6F5, C6Cl2F3 or C6Cl5; tht = tetrahydrothiophene) lead to complexes [AuR(DMAP)] (R = C6F5 (1), C6Cl2F3 (2) or C6Cl5 (3)). X-ray diffraction studies of the complexes reveal the presence of discrete molecules in which aurophilic contacts are absent, with π-stacking (1) or hydrogen bond (2) interactions being responsible for the supramolecular arrangements found in the solid state. All complexes display fluorescence in solution in solvents of different polarities such as toluene, chloroform or acetonitrile. In all cases the emission energy is similar to the low-energy Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer (TICT) emission of free DMAP. TDDFT calculations confirm that the fluorescence of complexes 1-3 arises from the ICT excited state of bonded DMAP in which a 90° distortion of the pyridine ring and -NMe2 planes is observed. Model calculations based on experimental parameters show a higher degree of polarization of DMAP upon coordination to Au(I) organometallic fragments.