Thermally Stable Gold(III) Alkene and Alkyne Complexes: Synthesis, Structures, and Assessment of the trans-Influence on Gold-Ligand Bond Enthalpies.

The reaction of [C^C)Au(OEt ) ] with 1,5-cyclooctadiene or norbornadiene affords the corresponding olefin complexes [(C^C)Au(COD)]SbF and [(C^C)Au(NBD)]SbF , which are thermally stable in solution and the solid state (C^C=4,4'-di-tert-butylbiphenyl-2,2'-diyl). The crystal structures of these complexes have been determined. By contrast, dienones such as dibenzylideneacetone are O- rather than C=C-bonded.