Oxidative Addition to Gold(I) by Photoredox Catalysis: Straightforward Access to Diverse (C,N)‐Cyclometalated Gold(III) Complexes

Herein, we report the oxidative addition of aryldiazonium salts to ligand‐supported gold(I) complexes under visible light photoredox conditions. This method provides experimental evidence for the involvement of such a process in dual gold/photoredox‐catalyzed reactions and delivers well‐defined (C,N)‐cyclometalated gold(III) species. The remarkably mild reaction conditions and the ability to widely vary the ancillary ligand make this method a potentially powerful synthetic tool to access diverse gold(III) complexes for systematic studies into their properties and reactivity. Initial studies show that these species can undergo chloride abstraction to afford Lewis acidic dicationic gold(III) species.     

Luminescent (N^C^C) Gold(III) Complexes: Stabilized Gold(III) Fluorides

We report the design, synthesis, and application of a (N^C^C)‐ligand framework able to stabilize highly electron‐deprived gold(III) species. This novel platform enabled the preparation of C(sp²)‐gold(III) fluorides for the first time in monomeric, easy‐to‐handle, bench‐stable form by a Cl/F ligand‐exchange reaction. Devoid of oxidative conditions or stoichiometric use of toxic Hg salts, this method was applied to the preparation of multiple [C(sp²)‐Au^III‐F] complexes, which were used as mechanistic probes for the study of the unique properties and intrinsic reactivity of Au? F bonds. The improved photophysical properties of [(N^C^C)Au^III] complexes compared to classical pincer (C^N^C)‐Au systems paves the way for the design of new late‐transition‐metal‐based OLEDs.     

C,O‐Chelated BINOL/Gold(III) Complexes: Synthesis and Catalysis with Tunable Product Profiles

Unprecedented stable BINOL/gold(III) complexes, adopting a novel C,O‐chelation mode, were synthesized by a modular approach through combination of 1,1′‐binaphthalene‐2,2′‐diols (BINOLs) and cyclometalated gold(III) dichloride complexes [(C^N)AuCl₂]. X‐ray crystallographic analysis revealed that the bidentate BINOL ligands tautomerized and bonded to the Au^III atom through C,O‐chelation to form a five‐membered ring instead of the conventional O,O′‐chelation giving a seven‐membered ring. These gold(III) complexes catalyzed acetalization/cycloisomerization and carboalkoxylation of ortho ‐alkynylbenzaldehydes with trialkyl orthoformates.     

Cyclometalated Gold(III) Complexes: Synthesis,Reactivity, and Physicochemical Properties

This Review showcases the ability of bi‐ and tridentate ligands to stabilize gold in high oxidation states through the formation of mono‐ and biscyclometalated gold(III) complexes. In‐depth studies on the synthesis, intrinsic reactivity, catalytic relevance, and photophysical properties of stabilized gold(III) species have been carried out, setting the stage for exciting developments in various research areas, such as catalysis, inorganic and bioinorganic chemistry, ligand design, and materials science.     

Trinuclear Gold Clusters Supported by Cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene Ligands: Mimics for Gold Heterogeneous Catalysts

The synthesis of air‐ and moisture‐stable trinuclear mixed‐valence gold(I)/gold(0) clusters is described. They promote the catalytic carbonylation of amines under relatively mild conditions. The synthetic route leading to the trinuclear clusters involves a simple ligand exchange from the readily available μ³‐oxo‐[(Ph₃PAu)₃O]⁺ complex. This synthetic method paves the way for the preparation of a variety of mixed‐valence gold(I)/gold(0) polynuclear clusters. Moreover, the well‐defined nature of the complexes demonstrates that the catalytic process involves a rare example of a definite change of oxidation state of gold from Au⁰₂Au^I to Au^I₃.     

Gold(III) π‐Allyl Complexes

Gold(III) π‐complexes have been authenticated recently with alkenes, alkynes, and arenes. The key importance of Pd^II π‐allyl complexes in organometallic chemistry (Tsuji–Trost reaction) prompted us to explore gold(III) π‐allyl complexes, which have remained elusive so far. The (P,C)Au^III(allyl) and (methallyl) complexes 3 and 3′ were readily prepared and isolated as thermally and air‐stable solids. Spectroscopic and crystallographic analyses combined with detailed DFT calculations support tight quasi‐symmetric η³‐coordination of the allyl moiety. The π‐allyl gold(III) complexes are activated towards nucleophilic additions, as substantiated with β‐diketo enolates.     

La（III）催化磷酸二（4－硝基苯酚）酯水解研究

The catalytic hydrolysis of bis（4-nitrophenyl）phosphate （BNPP） by lanthanum（Ⅲ） ion in the presence of amino-alcoholic ligands： diethanolamine （DEA） and triethanolamine （TEA）, was investigated kinetically at 30 ℃. The results indicated that the dinuclear dihydroxo complexes formed by lanthanum（Ⅲ） ion with aminoalcoholic ligands might be the catalytically active species which catalyze the hydrolysis of BNPP to different extents and the catalytic mechanism was believed to involve the synergism of double Lewis acid activation of the substrate and an intramolecular nucleophilic attack of a bridging oxo ligand.     

Tetradentate Gold(III) Complexes as Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence (TADF) Emitters: Microwave‐Assisted Synthesis and High‐Performance OLEDs with Long Operational Lifetime

Structurally robust tetradentate gold(III)‐emitters have potent material applications but are rare and unprecedented for those displaying thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). Herein, a novel synthetic route leading to the preparation of highly emissive, charge‐neutral tetradentate [C^C^N^C] gold(III) complexes with 5‐5‐6‐membered chelate rings has been developed through microwave‐assisted C?H bond activation. These complexes show high thermal stability and with emission origin (³IL, ³ILCT, and TADF) tuned by varying the substituents of the C^C^N^C ligand. With phenoxazine/diphenylamine substituent, we prepared the first tetradentate gold(III) complexes that are TADF emitters with emission quantum yields of up to 94 % and emission lifetimes of down to 0.62 μs in deoxygenated toluene. These tetradentate Au^III TADF emitters showed good performance in vacuum‐deposited OLEDs with maximum EQEs of up to 25 % and LT₉₅ of up to 5280 h at 100 cd m^?2.     

Cyclometalated Gold(III)‐Hydride Complexes Exhibit Visible Light‐Induced Thiol Reactivity and Act as Potent Photo‐Activated Anti‐Cancer Agents

The specific gold‐sulfur binding interaction renders gold complexes as promising anti‐cancer agents that can potentially overcome cisplatin resistance; while their unbiased binding towards non‐tumoral off‐target thiol‐proteins has posed a big hurdle to clinical application. Herein we report that cyclometalated gold(III) complexes bearing hydride ligands are highly stable towards thiols in the dark but can efficiently dissociate the auxiliary hydride moiety and generate a gold‐thiol adduct when excited with visible light. In consequence, the photo‐activated gold(III) complexes potently inhibited thioredoxin reductase in association with up to >400‐fold increment of photocytotoxicity (vs. dark condition) without deactivation by serum albumin and along with strong anti‐angiogenesis activity in zebrafish embryos. Importantly, the gold(III)‐hydride complexes could be activated by two‐photon laser irradiation at the phototherapeutic window as effectively as blue‐light irradiation.     

Diphenylmethane Oxidation Catalyzed by Mononuclear Mn(III) Complexes

Catalytic property of a series of manganese(III) complexes with tetradentate phenol‐ and pyridinebased ligands on the oxidation of the C‐H bond of diphenylmethane in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant at ambient conditions were investigated. In this process, diphenylmethane was oxidized to the corresponding keton and alcohol. The catalytic selectivity of the complexes was evaluated.     

Gold(I) and gold(III) corroles

Corrole complexes with gold(I) and gold(III) were synthesized and their structural, photophysical, and electrochemical properties investigated. This work includes the X-ray crystallography characterization of gold(I) and gold(III) complexes, both chelated by a corrole with fully brominated β-pyrrole carbon atoms. The mononuclear and chiral gold(I) corrole appears to be the first of its kind within the porphyrinoid family, while the most unique property of the gold(III) corrole is that it displays phosphorescence at ambient temperatures.     

p‐Nitrophenyl Picolinate Cleavage by Unsymmetrical Bis‐Schiff Base Manganese(III) and Cobalt(II) Complexes with Aza‐Crown Ether or Morpholino Pendants

The unsymmetrical bis‐Schiff base manganese(III) and cobalt(II) complexes with either benzo‐10‐aza‐crown ether pendants (MnL¹Cl, MnL²Cl) or morpholino pendant (MnL³Cl, CoL³) have been employed as models for hydrolase by studying the kinetics of their hydrolysis reactions with p‐nitrophenyl picolinate (PNPP). A kinetic model of PNPP cleavage catalyzed by these complexes is proposed. The effects of complex structures and reaction temperature on the rate of PNPP hydrolysis have been examined. All four complexes exhibit high catalytic activity and the rate increases with pH under 25°C. The complexes of ligands containing a crown ether group exhibit higher catalytic activities than the non‐crown analogues. The catalytic activity of the complexes follows the order Mn(III)>Co(II) under the same ligands.     

Synthesis,Structures and Properties of C(sp2)‐Centered Homo‐ and Hetero‐Nuclear Gold Complexes

C(sp²)‐centered homo‐ and hetero‐nuclear gold complexes have attracted widespread interests in recent decades. Studies of this type of complexes may deepen the understandings of the intermediates in Au‐catalyzed organic reactions and explore new applications in catalytic and material science. The focuses of this review include the synthesis, structural characteristics, properties and applications of C(sp²)‐centered homo‐ and hetero‐nuclear gold complexes according to different structural classifications.     

The Quest for Mononuclear Gold(II) and Its Potential Role in Photocatalysis and Drug Action

The chemistry of gold strongly focuses on the ubiquitous oxidation states +I and +III. The intermediate oxidation state +II is generally avoided in mononuclear gold species. In recent years, gold(II) has been increasingly suggested as a key intermediate in artificial photosynthesis systems, with gold(III) moieties acting as electron acceptors, as well as in gold‐catalyzed photoredox catalysis and radical chemistry. This Minireview provides a concise summary of confirmed and characterized mononuclear open‐shell gold(II) complexes. Recent findings on structural motifs and reactivity patterns will be discussed. Exciting developments in the fields of photosynthesis, photocatalysis, and potential roles in medicinal chemistry will be outlined.     

Anticancer Gold(III) Porphyrins Target Mitochondrial Chaperone Hsp60

Identification of the molecular target(s) of anticancer metal complexes is a formidable challenge since most of them are unstable toward ligand exchange reaction(s) or biological reduction under physiological conditions. Gold(III) meso‐tetraphenylporphyrin ( gold‐1 a ) is notable for its high stability in biological milieux and potent in vitro and in vivo anticancer activities. Herein, extensive chemical biology approaches employing photo‐affinity labeling, click chemistry, chemical proteomics, cellular thermal shift, saturation‐transfer difference NMR, protein fluorescence quenching, and protein chaperone assays were used to provide compelling evidence that heat‐shock protein 60 (Hsp60), a mitochondrial chaperone and potential anticancer target, is a direct target of gold‐1 a in vitro and in cells. Structure–activity studies with a panel of non‐porphyrin gold(III) complexes and other metalloporphyrins revealed that Hsp60 inhibition is specifically dependent on both the gold(III) ion and the porphyrin ligand.     

High Efficiency Sky-Blue Gold(III)-TADF Emitters**

Highly efficient sky-blue luminescent gold(III) complexes with emission quantum yields up to 82 %, lifetimes down to 0.67 μs and emission peak maxima at 470–484 nm were prepared through a consideration of pincer gold(III) donor–acceptor complexes. Photophysical studies and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations revealed that the emission nature of these gold(III) complexes is most consistent with TADF. Solution-processed OLEDs with these gold(III) complexes as dopants afforded electroluminescence maxima at 465–473 nm with FWHM of 64–67 nm and maximum external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of up to 15.25 %. This research demonstrates the first example of gold(III)-OLEDs showing electroluminescence maxima at smaller than 470 nm, and highlights the potential of using gold(III)-TADF emitters in the development of high efficiency blue OLEDs and blue emissive dopant in WOLEDs.     

Stable Anticancer Gold(III)–Porphyrin Complexes: Effects of Porphyrin Structure

In the design of physiologically stable anticancer gold(III) complexes, we have employed strongly chelating porphyrinato ligands to stabilize a gold(III) ion [Chem. Commun. 2003 , 1718; Coord. Chem. Rev. 2009 , 253, 1682]. In this work, a family of gold(III) tetraarylporphyrins with porphyrinato ligands containing different peripheral substituents on the meso‐aryl rings were prepared, and these complexes were used to study the structure–bioactivity relationship. The cytotoxic IC₅₀ values of [Au(Por)]⁺ (Por=porphyrinato ligand), which range from 0.033 to >100 μM , correlate with their lipophilicity and cellular uptake. Some of them induce apoptosis and display preferential cytotoxicity toward cancer cells than to normal noncancerous cells. A new gold(III)–porphyrin with saccharide conjugation [Au(4‐glucosyl‐TPP)]Cl ( 2 a ; H₂(4‐glucosyl‐TPP)=meso‐tetrakis(4‐β‐D ‐glucosylphenyl)porphyrin) exhibits significant cytostatic activity to cancer cells (IC₅₀=1.2–9.0 μM ) without causing cell death and is much less toxic to lung fibroblast cells (IC₅₀>100 μM ). The gold(III)–porphyrin complexes induce S‐phase cell‐cycle arrest of cancer cells as indicated by flow cytometric analysis, suggesting that the anticancer activity may be, in part, due to termination of DNA replication. The gold(III)–porphyrin complexes can bind to DNA in vitro with binding constants in the range of 4.9×10⁵ to 4.1×10⁶ dm³ mol^?1 as determined by absorption titration. Complexes 2 a and [Au(TMPyP)]Cl₅ ( 4 a ; [H₂TMPyP]⁴⁺=meso‐tetrakis(N‐methylpyridinium‐4‐yl)porphyrin) interact with DNA in a manner similar to the DNA intercalator ethidium bromide as revealed by gel mobility shift assays and viscosity measurements. Both of them also inhibited the topoisomerase I induced relaxation of supercoiled DNA. Complex 4 a , a gold(III) derivative of the known G‐quadruplex‐interactive porphyrin [H₂TMPyP]⁴⁺, can similarly inhibit the amplification of a DNA substrate containing G‐quadruplex structures in a polymerase chain reaction stop assay. In contrast to these reported complexes, complex 2 a and the parental gold(III)–porphyrin 1 a do not display a significant inhibitory effect (<10 %) on telomerase. Based on the results of protein expression analysis and computational docking experiments, the anti‐apoptotic bcl‐2 protein is a potential target for those gold(III)–porphyrin complexes with apoptosis‐inducing properties. Complex 2 a also displays prominent anti‐angiogenic properties in vitro. Taken together, the enhanced stabilization of the gold(III) ion and the ease of structural modification render porphyrins an attractive ligand system in the development of physiologically stable gold(III) complexes with anticancer and anti‐angiogenic activities.     

Oxidative Interception of the Hydroamination Pathway: A Gold‐Catalyzed Diamination of Alkenes

A complimentary diamination of alkenes by using homogeneous gold catalysts is described. The reaction is one of very few examples of homogeneous gold oxidation catalysis and proceeds with high selectivity under mild conditions. Individual steps of the suggested catalytic cycle were investigated on isolated model gold complexes, and new pathways for gold‐catalyzed amination reactions were established. The key step is an intramolecular alkyl–nitrogen bond formation from a gold(III) intermediate. This process validates the concept of reductive elimination from high oxidation catalyst states for this type of C? N bond forming reactions.     

Dual catalysis with an Ir(III)-Au(I) heterodimetallic complex: reduction of nitroarenes by transfer hydrogenation using primary alcohols

A triazolyl-di-ylidene ligand has been used for the preparation of a homodimetallic complex of gold, and a heterodimetallic compound of gold and iridium. Both complexes have been fully characterized and their molecular structures have been determined by means of X-ray diffraction. The catalytic properties of these two complexes have been evaluated in the reduction of nitroarenes by transfer hydrogenation using primary alcohols. The two complexes afford different reaction products; whereas the Au(I)-Au(I) catalyst yields a hydroxylamine, the Ir(III)-Au(I) complex facilitates the formation of an imine.     

Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed Enantiotopic C−H Activation Enables Access to P‐Chiral Cyclic Phosphinamides

Compounds with stereogenic phosphorus atoms are frequently used as ligands for transition‐metal as well as organocatalysts. A direct catalytic enantioselective method for the synthesis of P ‐chiral compounds from easily accessible diaryl phosphinamides is presented. The use of rhodium(III) complexes equipped with a suitable atropochiral cyclopentadienyl ligand is shown to enable an enantiodetermining C−H activation step. Upon trapping with alkynes, a broad variety of cyclic phosphinamides with a stereogenic phosphorus(V) atom are formed in high yields and enantioselectivities. Moreover, these can be reduced enantiospecifically to P ‐chiral phosphorus(III) compounds.