title: Unexpected formation of a fused double cycle trinuclear gold(i) complex supported by ortho-phenyl metallated aryl-diphosphine ligands and strong aurophilic interactions.
abstract: The first homoleptic trinuclear arylgold(i) complex, [Au3(L')2](NO3) (3), based on an ortho-phenyl metallated aryl-diphosphine ligand (L' = o-C6H4PPh(C15H10O)PPh2), has been obtained through a new thermolytic reaction of the corresponding diauracycle, [Au2(L)2](NO3)2 (L = xantphos). The formation of 3 involves activation of the ortho-phenyl C-H bond of the xantphos ligands. The presence of Au-C bonds in this new gold-diphosphine cluster is not its only remarkable feature, since it also displays two 12-membered rings fused together and a linear {Au3} chain with aurophilic interactions. Complex 3 exhibits strong sky-blue luminescence that can be assigned to a triplet metal-metal ((3)MM) transition partially mixed with a ligand-to-metal-metal charge transfer ((3)LMMCT) transition related to the aurophilic bonding. This [Au3(L')2](+) triauracycle also shows AIEE-activity, and is a selective luminescent chemosensor for metal ions.
authors.affiliation: Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA TTK SZKI, "Lendület" Supramolecular Chemistry Research Group, Magyar Tudósok körútja 2, 1117 Budapest, Hungary. deak.andrea@ttk.mta.hu.
authors.forename: Csaba
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jobbágy
authors.affiliation: Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA TTK SZKI, "Lendület" Supramolecular Chemistry Research Group, Magyar Tudósok körútja 2, 1117 Budapest, Hungary. deak.andrea@ttk.mta.hu.
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baranyai
authors.affiliation: Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA TTK SZKI, MS Metabolomics Research Group, Magyar Tudósok körútja 2, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Pál
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.affiliation: Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA TTK SZKI, Chemical Crystallography Research Group, Magyar Tudósok körútja 2, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Holczbauer
authors.affiliation: Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA TTK SZKI, "Lendület" Supramolecular Chemistry Research Group, Magyar Tudósok körútja 2, 1117 Budapest, Hungary. deak.andrea@ttk.mta.hu.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rácz
authors.affiliation: New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. pance.naumov@nyu.edu.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. pance.naumov@nyu.edu.
authors.forename: Panče
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Naumov
authors.affiliation: Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA TTK SZKI, "Lendület" Supramolecular Chemistry Research Group, Magyar Tudósok körútja 2, 1117 Budapest, Hungary. deak.andrea@ttk.mta.hu.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deák