Synthesis, Structural Characterisation and Reactions of Some Vinylgold( I ) Phosphane Complexes

A series of vinylgold( I ) complexes [Au(CR=CHR)L] (R = H, Me; L = PPh 3 , PPh 2 Me, PPhMe 2 ) were prepared from the reaction of the Grignard reagents [MgBr(CR=CHR)] (R = H, Me) with the gold( I ) phosphane complexes [AuCl(L)] (L = PPh 3 , PPh 2 Me, PPhMe 2 ) at low temperature. The complexes were characterised by various spectroscopic techniques and, in the case of [Au(CMe=CHMe)(PPh 3 )], by a single‐crystal X‐ray structure determination. The gold–carbon bonds of these vinylgold( I ) complexes are easily cleaved by acids and, in the presence of potassium permanganate, by species containing acidic protons. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)