title: Synthetic, structural and spectroscopic studies of (pseudo)halo(1,3-di-tert-butylimidazol-2-ylidine)gold complexes.
abstract: A series of (pseudo)halo(1,3-di-tert-butylimidazol-2-ylidine)gold complexes [(But2Im)AuX](X = Cl, Br, I, CN, N3, NCO, SCN, SeCN, ONO2, OCOCH3, CH3) have been synthesized and characterised spectroscopically and structurally. 13C NMR chemical shifts for the carbene carbon vary widely with differing ancillary anion, correlating well with the sigma-donor ability of the latter and with the M-C(carbene) bond distance. These results reinforce the notion that N-heterocyclic carbene ligands are primarily sigma-donor ligands with little pi-acceptor ability.
authors.affiliation: Chemistry M313, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Murray V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.forename: Simon K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Brayshaw
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hickey
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Skelton
authors.forename: Allan H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: White