A catalytic domino amination and oxidative coupling of in situ prepared gold acetylides has been developed for the synthesis of abnormal NHC (aNHC) gold complexes, and key vinylene digold intermediates are isolated and structurally characterized.

Homo (Au2)- and heterodinuclear coinage metal complexes (AuAg) ligated by a six-membered Janus-type ditopic N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) have been prepared by deprotonation of aNHC (abnormal NHC) gold complex followed by complexation. The two ditopic NHC coinage metal complexes were structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The carbene character for the C2 carbon and C5 carbon of the ditopic NHC ligand in 3 and 4 was confirmed by the NMR and structural data.