Gold(I) fluorido
complexes with phosphine ligands have been synthesized
from their respective iodido precursors. The bonding situation in
comparison between complexes bearing phosphines and N-heterocyclic
carbenes (NHCs) was explored quantum-chemically, obtaining similar
results for both. Calculations of the 19F NMR chemical
shifts match the experimental values well, including the approximately
40 ppm low-field shifts for the phosphine complexes compared to the
NHC complexes, in spite of similar negative charges on fluorine. The
reactivity of the highly water-sensitive gold(I) fluorido complexes
was studied, resulting in substitution at the metal using trimethylsilyl
reagents. The compounds studied were characterized using NMR as well
as X-ray diffraction methods.