Mononuclear Gold(i) Acetylide Complexes with Carbonyl Moiety: Synthesis, Characterization, and Tunable Emission Energy

A series of gold(I) acetylide complexes, Cy3PAuC CC6H4-C(O)R-4 (R=H (1), Me (2), OMe (3), NH2 (4)) (Cy3P = tricyclohexylphosphine), have been synthesized and characterized. The crystal structures of Cy3PAuC CC6H4-C(O)H-4 (1) and Cy3PAuC CC6H4-C(O)NH2-4 (4) were determined by X-ray diffraction. The photophysical properties of complexes 1-4 have been studied. Complexes 1-4 show luminescence both in the solid state and in acetonitrile solution at 298 K, and their emission energies are in the order: 4 > 3 > 2 > 1.