Anion directed synthesis of paddlane and trisilver tweezer complexes based upon silver coordination chemistry.

Addition of AgBF4 or Ag(O3SCF3) to the tripodal ligand, Me3tacnRh(CCPh)3, yields a paddlane complex as well as a novel trinuclear silver "tweezer" complex based upon silver acetylene coordination chemistry. The paddlane is composed of two Me3tacnRh(CCPh)3 moieties held together by silver acetylene interactions. The tweezer complex is composed of one tripodal moiety with three silver atoms coordinated to each acetylene-Rh-acetylene face. The tweezer complex is stabilized by additional interactions, including a triflate anion which serves to cap the complex.