Synthesis and X-ray structures of dinuclear and trinuclear gold(I) and dinuclear gold(II) amidinate complexes

The structures of the trinuclear gold(I), Au(3)(2,6-Me(2)-form)(2)-(THT)Cl], the dinuclear Au(2)(2,6-Me(2)-form)(2)], and the oxidative-addition product Au(2)(2,6-Me(2)-form)(2)Cl(2)] formamidinate complexes are reported. The trinuclear complex is stable with gold-gold distances 3.01 and 3.55 A. The gold-gold distance in the dinuclear complex decreases upon oxidative-addition with halogens from 2.7 to 2.5 A, similar to observations made with the dithiolates and ylides.