Novel luminescent binuclear gold(I) isocyanide complexes. Synthesis, spectroscopy, and X-ray crystal structure of Au2(dmb)(CN)2(dmb = 1,8-di-isocyano-p-menthane)

Reaction of K[AuCl4] with dmb (1,8-di-isocyano-p-menthane) in boiling ethanol yielded Au2(dmb)(CN)2 with an intramolecular Au–Au separation of 3.536 Å excitation of Au2(dmb)(CN)2 in fluid solution and in the solid state leads to photoluminescence (λmax. ∼468 nm, τ0 0.13 µs in degassed CH2Cl2).