Dinuclear three-coordinate Au(I) complex [Au2{(Ph2Sb)2O}3](ClO4)2 1 displays an interesting phosphorescent behavior in which a large Stokes' shift is observed. Ab initio calculations show that the main distortion for the first triplet excited state, which is responsible for the luminescence behavior of complex 1, is a Jahn-Teller distortion for only one of the Au(I) centers together with a gold-gold distance shortening. This behavior could be extrapolated to other phosphorescent dinuclear three-coordinate Au(I) complexes.

The reaction of RH (1) with Hg(OAc)(2), in EtOH, gave the acetate RHgOAc (2) [R = 2,6-[O(CH(2)CH(2))(2)NCH(2)](2)C(6)H(3)]. The corresponding RHgCl (3) was obtained from 2 and LiCl. The reaction of 3 with TeCl(4) (1:1 molar ratio), in anhydrous 1,4-dioxane, resulted in the transfer of the organic ligand from mercury to tellurium and the isolation of the unexpected ionic compounds [RTe](2)[Hg(2)Cl(6)] (4) and [RH(3)][HgCl(4)] (5). The molecular structures of 1-4 and 5·H(2)O were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The acetate 2 and the chloride 3 are monomeric in solid state. In both mercury and tellurium organometallic compounds the organic group acts as an (N,C,N) "pincer" ligand. This coordination pattern provided stability for the rare [RTe](+) cation. Weak cation-anion interactions [Te···Cl 3.869(3) Å] are present between [RTe](+) and the dinuclear anion [Hg(2)Cl(6)](2-) in the crystal of 4. Theoretical calculations with DFT methods were performed for models of 3 and 4. The results show that in the cation of 4 the coordination of the nitrogen atoms play an important role for the stabilization of the structure found in the crystal whereas in 3 the coordination of the nitrogen atoms to the metal centre stabilizes to a less extent the structure found in solid state.

The reaction of [AuCl(tht)] (tht = tetrahydrothiophene) with SbMes(n)Ph(3-n) (n = 3 (1), 2 (2), 1 (3)) produces the 1:1 adducts [AuCl(SbMes(n)Ph(3-n))] (n = 3 (4), 2 (5), 1 (6)), with a Sb-Au-Cl environment, regardless of the molar ratio used (1:1 to 1:4). Addition of the same stibines to [Au(tht)(2)]ClO(4) (molar ratio 1:1 to 1:4) results in isolation of the 1:2 adducts [Au(SbMes(n)Ph(3-n))(2)]ClO(4) (n = 3 (7), 2 (10)), containing linear Sb-Au-Sb fragments, or the 1:3 adduct [Au(SbMesPh(2))(3)]ClO(4) (11), with a quasi trigonal planar AuSb(3) core. The same 1:2 cations are produced when [Au(tht)(2)]CF(3)SO(3) is reacted with 1 or following a rearrangement process when 4 is treated with AgSbF(6), that is, [Au(SbMes(3))(2)]X (X = CF(3)SO(3) (8), SbF(6) (9)). The compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods, and the molecular structures of 2-4, 7, 8.2CDCl(3), 9, and 11 were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Theoretical calculations were carried out on model systems of type ER(3) and [Au(ER(3))(n)](+) (E = P or Sb; R = Ph or Mes; n = 2, 3, or 4) to gain insight into the bonding nature of SbR(3) ligands in homoleptic gold-stibine adducts, in comparison with phosphine-gold(I) compounds. Steric effects govern the coordination of stibines with mesityl substituents. A preference for higher coordination numbers is observed for SbPh(3) when compared with PPh(3) and experimentally observed C-Sb-C and Sb-C structural distortions of stibines upon coordination are reproduced theoretically.