Supramolecular assembly of gold(I) complexes of diphosphines and N,N'-bis-4-methylpyridyl oxalamide

We report herein the supramolecular assembly and spectroscopic and luminescent properties of gold(I) complexes of diphosphines (dppm bis(diphenylphosphino)methane], dppp 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane], and dpppn 1,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)pentane]) and N,N'-bis-4-methylpyridyl oxalamide (L). The dppm and dppp cases form the rectangular structures, dppm(Au(2))L](2)(ClO(4))(4) and dppp(Au(2))L](2)(ClO(4))(4), with four gold(I) ions at the corners, as well as two L and two dppm or dppp ligands as edges, featuring 38- and 42-membered rings for the former and the latter, respectively. Remarkably, the packing of the dppp complexes shows interesting one-dimensional rectangular channels in the solid state, most likely due to intermolecular pi...pi interactions. The dpppn complex has been structurally characterized as a one-dimensional coordination polymer, {(dpppn)(3.5)(Au(7))L(3.5)](PF(6))(7)}. The absorptions and emissions of the compounds are in general due to intraligand transitions, but aurophilic or pi...pi interactions could also make partial contributions. The dipyridyl amide system with the amides incorporated into the bridging ligands as well as the one-dimensional rectangular channels in the solid state for the dppp-based rectangle make this a promising family of metal-containing cyclic peptides in crystal engineering and molecular-recognition studies.