Synthesis, crystal structure and fluorination effects in vinylidenebis(diphenylphosphine)gold(I) thiolate coordination compounds

Abstract We report the synthesis and characterization of nine new gold(I) dinuclear compounds containing the bridging ligand vinylidenebis(diphenylphosphine) and terminal fluorophenylthiolates with the general formula [Au2(SR)2(μ-vdpp)] in which SR = SC6F5, SC6HF4, SC6H3F2-2,4, SC6H3F2-3,4, SC6H3F2-3,5, SC6H4F-2, SC6H4F-3, SC6H4F-4 together with the non-fluorinated derivative [Au2(SC6H5)2(μ-vdpp)]. In these compounds, we analyze the long-range influence of the fluorination patterns over the electronic structure in terms of the changes in the 31P-NMR chemical shifts, showing the different effects depending on the relative fluorination position. Additionally, we present the crystal structure of four of the compounds, showing the presence of supported aurophilic interactions in which the Au···Au distances are modified as a consequence of the lateral interactions formed by the fluorinated phenyl rings. Overall this work gives insights in the effects of ligand fluorination in gold coordination compounds.