Dimethylgold(III) Aryloxides and Alkoxides Having a Triphenylphosphine Ligand

Abstract
Cis-dimethyl(aryloxo or alkoxo)(triphenylphosphine)gold(III), cis-AuMe2(OR)(PPh3) (R = Ph, tol, CH2CF3, CH(CF3)2) were isolated by the reaction of cis-AuMe2[(PPh3) with corresponding potassium aryloxides or alkoxides. Nucleophilic phenoxogold(III) smoothly traps phenol by hydrogen bond and can abstract a proton from methyl cyanoacetate, malononitrile and phenyl acetylene to give corresponding cis-dimethyl(organo)(triphenylphosphine)gold(III) complexes, cis-AuMe2(R′)(PPh3).