New Structural Motifs in the Aggregation of Neutral Gold(I) Complexes: Structures and Luminescence from (Alkyl isocyanide)AuCN

The preparation and X-ray crystal structures of (CyNC)AuʹCN, (n-BuNC)AuʹCN, and (i-PrNC)AuʹCN-0.5CH2Cl2 are reported and compared with those of (MeNC)AuʹCN and (f-BuNC)AuʹCN, which were previously described. These linear molecules are all organized through aurophilic interactions into three structural classes: simple chains ((CyNC)AuʹCN and -BuNC)AuʹCN), side-by-side chains in which two strands make Au...Au contact with each other ((nBuNC)AuʹCN), and nets in which multiple aurophilic interactions produce layers of gold(l) centers ((i-PrNC)AuʹCN and (MeNC)AuʹCN). All of these five solids dissolve to produce colorless, nonluminescent solutions with similar UV/vis spectra. However, each of the solids displays a unique luminescence with emission maxima occurring in the range 371-430 nm.