Characterization of mono(carbene) and bis(carbene) complexes of gold(I) derived from lithiated pyridine

Abstract The carbene complexes [Au(¯CNHCH=¯CHCH=¯C>H)Cl] ( 2 ) and [Au(¯CN(R) ¯CH=¯CHCH=¯C>H) 2 ][X] (R = H, X = Cl ( 4 )) (R = Me, X = CF 3 SO 3 ( 5 ) are formed when the products of the reactions between [Au(THT)Cl] (THT = tetrahydrothiophene) and 2-lithiopyridine are acidified with HCl or alkylated with CF 3 SO 3 Me. Compound 4 crystallizes with two molecules of H 2 O. The complex is monomeric and interacts with the water molecules and the chloride ion through a complex network of hydrogen bonds.