Synthesis and Study of Cationic,Two‐Coordinate Triphenylphosphine– Gold–π Complexes

Cationic, two‐coordinate triphenylphosphine–gold(I)–π complexes of the form (PPh₃)Au(π ligand)]⁺ SbF₆^? (π ligand=4‐methylstyrene, 1? SbF₆), 2‐methyl‐2‐butene ( 3? SbF₆), 3‐hexyne ( 6? SbF₆), 1,3‐cyclohexadiene ( 7? SbF₆), 3‐methyl‐1,2‐butadiene ( 8? SbF₆), and 1,7‐diphenyl‐3,4‐heptadiene ( 10? SbF₆) were generated in situ from reaction of (PPh₃)AuCl], AgSbF₆, and π ligand at ?78 °C and were characterized by low‐temperature, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy without isolation. The π ligands of these complexes were both weakly bound and kinetically labile and underwent facile intermolecular exchange with free ligand (ΔG^≠≈9 kcal mol^?1 in the case of 6? SbF₆) and competitive displacement by weak σ donors, such as trifluoromethane sulfonate. Triphenylphosphine–gold(I)–π complexes were thermally unstable and decomposed above ?20 °C to form the bis(triphenylphosphine) gold cation (PPh₃)₂Au]⁺SbF₆^? ( 2? SbF₆).