Gold(i) ethylene complexes supported by electron-rich scorpionates

Abstract

Ethylene complexes of gold(I) have been stabilized by electron-rich, κ²-bound tris(pyrazolyl)borate ligands. Large up-field shifts of olefinic carbon NMR resonances and relatively long CC distances of gold bound ethylene are indicative of significant Au(I) → ethylene π-backbonding relative to the analog supported by a weakly donating ligand, consistent with the computational data.