Synthesis of Gold(I)−Trifluoromethyl Complexes and their Role in Generating Spectroscopic Evidence for a Gold(I)−Difluorocarbene Species. Issue 33 (14th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vanden Broeck, Sofie M. P.; Nelson, David J.; Collado, Alba; Falivene, Laura; Cavallo, Luigi; Cordes, David B.; Slawin, Alexandra M. Z.; Van Hecke, Kristof; Nahra, Fady; Cazin, Catherine S. J.; Nolan, Steven P.
• Is Part Of: Chemistry. Volume 27:Issue 33(2021)
• Page Start: 8461
• Page End: 8467
• Publication Date: 2021-05-14
• Subjects: difluorocarbenes -- fluoride abstraction -- gold(I) -- N-heterocyclic carbenes -- trifluoromethyl; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/chem.202100195
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0947-6539

Abstract

Abstract: Readily prepared and bench‐stable [Au(CF3 )(NHC)] compounds were synthesized by using new methods, starting from [Au(OH)(NHC)], [Au(Cl)(NHC)] or [Au(L)(NHC)]HF2 precursors (NHC=N‐heterocyclic carbene). The mechanism of formation of these species was investigated. Consequently, a new and straightforward strategy for the mild and selective cleavage of a single carbon/fluorine bond from [Au(CF3 )(NHC)] complexes was attempted and found to be reversible in the presence of an additional nucleophilic fluoride source. This straightforward technique has led to the unprecedented spectroscopic observation of a gold(I)−NHC difluorocarbene species. Abstract : A new method to access [Au(CF3 )(NHC)] complexes has been developed, leading to the discovery of a new trimethylsilyl incorporated gold−NHC trifluoromethyl complex. This, in turn, led to the development of a new and straightforward strategy for the "one fluoride" abstraction affording, for the first time, spectroscopic evidence of the corresponding gold(I)−NHC difluorocarbene analogue.