Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure determination of the first structurally authenticated terphenyl gold complex

The synthesis and X-ray crystal structure determination of a novel metal–terphenyl derivative, namely DmpAuPPh3 (1), is reported (Dmp=2,6-dimesitylphenyl). Complex 1 is synthesized by the reaction of one equivalent of DmpLi with one equivalent of Ph3PAuCl in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature in 70% yield. The molecular structure of monomeric 1 features a two-coordinate gold atom with an essentially linear arrangement of the two ligands with an interligand angle of 174.21(8)° as well as a slightly tilted terphenyl moiety.