Multinuclear NMR investigation on organometallic gold(III) pentafluorophenylarylazoimidazole complexes

Reaction of [Au(C₆F₅)(tht)₂Cl](OTf) with RaaiR′ in CH₂Cl₂ medium leads to [Au(C₆F₅)(RaaiR′)Cl](OTf) [RaaiR′ = p-R–C₆H₄–N=N–C₃H₂–NN-1-R′, (1–3), abbreviated as N,N′-chelator, where N(imidazole) and N(azo) represent N and N′, respectively; R = H (a), Me (b), Cl (c) and R′ = Me (1), CH₂CH₃ (2), CH₂Ph (3), tht is tetrahydrothiophen]. The maximum molecular peak of [Au(C₆F₅)(MeaaiMe)Cl] is observed at m/z 599.51 (100 %) in the FAB mass spectrum. Ir spectra of the complexes show –C=N– and –N=N– stretching near at 1590 and 1370 cm⁻¹ and near at 1510, 955, 800 cm⁻¹ due to the presence of pentafluorophenyl ring. The ¹H-NMR spectral measurements suggest methylene, –CH₂–, in RaaiEt gives a complex AB type multiplet while in RaaiCH₂Ph shows AB type quartets. ¹³C-NMR spectrum of complexes confirm the molecular skeleton. In the ¹H-¹H-COSY spectrum as well as contour peaks in the ¹H-¹³C HMQC spectrum for the present complexes, assign the solution structure and stereoretentive conformation. The electrochemistry gives the ligand reduction peaks.