Synthesis of (C^N, S^S)-cyclometallated phosphonodithiolate gold(III) complexes

We describe the complexation of (C^N)-cyclometallated gold(III) with chalcogenophosphorous ligands derived from Lawesson’s reagent to afford a novel [Au(ppy){S 2 P(O)( p -MeO-C 6 H 4 )] complexes. Herein we report the complexation of gold(III) with chalcogenophosphorous ligands derived from Lawesson’s reagent (LR). The reaction of Lawesson’s reagent with (ppy)AuCl 2 (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine) led to the novel [Au(ppy){S 2 P(O)( p -MeO-C 6 H 4 )] complexes 4 , resulting from the demethylation of the expected [Au(ppy){S 2 P(MeO)( p -MeO-C 6 H 4 )] + complexes. The novel gold(III) phosphonodithiolate complexes have been studied by HRMS, multinuclear NMR and X-ray crystallography. To the best of our knowledge this is the first reported synthesis of phosphonodithiolate gold(III) complexes of LR and provides a valuable addition to the few examples of gold complexes containing organophosphorus-chalcogen ligands.