Gold(I) and silver(I) complexes of a diphosphine analog of a half-calix[4]arene moiety

The diphosphine ligand bis(5-(tert-butyl)-3-((diphenylphosphino)methyl)-2-methoxyphenyl)methane (BDMMphos) has been metallated with the transition metal complexes Ag(CH3CN)4BF4 and Au(Me2S)Cl to yield the corresponding diphosphine metal complexes (BDMMphos)AgBF4 (1), (BDMMphos)(AuCl)2 (2) and (BDMMphos)AuClO4 (3). All of the complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, 1H, 31P and 13C NMR spectroscopies and X-ray structure determination. The diphosphine ligand BDMMphos displayed versatile coordination properties. In complexes 1 and 3, BDMMphos chelated metal ions to form stable 12-membered ring complexes with large bite angles, while in complex 2, BDMMphos simply coordinated to two AuCl units as a bridging ligand.

Graphical abstractThe diphosphine ligand bis(5-(tert-butyl)-3-((diphenylphosphino)methyl)-2-methoxyphenyl)methane (BDMMphos) has been metallated with the transition metal complexes Ag(CH3CN)4BF4 and Au(Me2S)Cl to yield the corresponding diphosphine metal complexes (BDMMphos)AgBF4 (1), (BDMMphos)(AuCl)2 (2) and (BDMMphos)AuClO4 (3).Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide