Rare Au···H Interactions in Gold(I) Complexes of Bulky Phosphines Derived from 2,6-Dibenzhydryl-4-methylphenyl Core.

Gold(I) complexes of sterically demanding phosphines derived from 2,6-dibenzhydryl-4-methylphenyl core viz: 2,6-dibenzhydryl-N,N-bis((diphenylphosphane)-methyl)-4-methylaniline (1), (2,6-dibenzhydryl-4-methylphenyl)-diphenylphosphane (2), N-(2,6-dibenzhydryl-4-methylphenyl)-1,1-diphenylphosphanamine (3), and (2,6-dibenzhydryl-4-methylphenoxy)-diphenylphosphane (4) are described. The reaction of 1 with 2 equiv of [AuCl(SMe2)] in dichloromethane yielded [{AuCl}2{Ar*N(CH2PPh2)2}] (5), which on further treatment with 2 equiv of AgSbF6 and 1 equiv of 1 produced 12-membered dimeric complex [Au2{μ-(Ar*N(CH2PPh2)2)2}][(SbF6)2] (6). A similar reaction of 5 with AgSbF6 in CH3CN afforded [{Au(NCCH3)}2{Ar*N(CH2PPh2)2}][(SbF6)2] (7). Equimolar reactions of bulky phosphines 2, 3, and 4 with [AuCl(SMe2)] resulted in [AuCl(PPh2Ar*)] (8), [AuCl(PPh2NHAr*)] (9), and [AuCl(PPh2OAr*)] (10). Complexes 9 and 10 on treatment with AgSbF6 in CH3CN produced the cationic complexes [Au(NCCH3)(PPh2NHAr*)][(SbF6)] (11) and [Au(NCCH3)(PPh2OAr*)][(SbF6)] (12), respectively. The molecular structure of complex 6 revealed the presence of a strong intramolecular aurophilic interaction with a Au···Au distance of 2.9720(4) Å. Careful analysis of molecular structure of 5 revealed the presence of rare Au···H-C (sp3) interactions between the gold(I) atom and one of the methylene protons of -NCH2PPh2 groups. The solution 1H NMR signals of the methylene protons of 5 showed a considerable downfield shift (∼1 ppm) compared to that of the free ligand indicating their interactions (Au···H) with the Au atom. Complexes 8 and 10 also showed Au···H interactions in their molecular structures. The existence of the Au···H interaction was studied by variable temperature 1H NMR data in the case of complex 5 and further evinced by the QTAIM analysis in complexes 5, 8, and 10.