Synthesis of gold(i) fluoroalkyl and fluoroalkenyl-substituted phosphine complexes and factors affecting their crystal packing

Abstract

A series of gold(I) phosphine complexes of the type [AuCl{PR₂(R_f)}] (R = Et, i-Pr, Cy; R_f = CFCF₂; R = Ph, R_f = CFCFH, CClCF₂, CCCF₃, CF₃, i-C₃F₇, s-C₄F₉) have been prepared and most have been structurally characterised. All of the complexes are monomeric in the solid state, and a number of secondary interactions are observed – including short intramolecular Au⋯F distances, metal-bound Au–Cl⋯H non-classical hydrogen bonds, fluorous domains and phenyl embraces. Only in the case of [AuCl{PEt₂(CFCF₂)}] is an aurophilic interaction with an Au⋯Au contact less than the sum of the van der Waals radii observed. Even then, the distance, 3.3458(10) Å, is longer than that previously observed for the related complex with R = Ph; R_f = CFCF₂.