4-Thiolatobenzoate-Bridged Gold/Zirconium Complex and Its Mononuclear Precursors

The selective synthesis of a Au (I) complex of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid, namely, [Au(SC 6H 4-4-COOH)(PMe 2Ph)] ( 1), is reported. It shows interesting photoluminescence (PL) properties, for example, high PL quantum yield, multicomponent emission, and an unusually large PL lifetime. This complex was further applied as a metalloligand for the synthesis of [Cp* 2Zr{kappa (1) O-OOCC 6H 4-4-SAu(PMe 2Ph)}{kappa (2) O,O'-OOCC 6H 4-4-SAu(PMe 2Ph)}] ( 3), one of the rare Au (I)/Zr (IV) complexes. For the first time the exchange between the two ligands, which are bound in mono- and bidentate fashion, respectively, could be observed with the help of variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy. For the corresponding monometallic zirconocene complex [Cp* 2Zr(kappa (1) O-O 2CC 6H 4-4-SH)(kappa (2) O,O'-O 2CC 6H 4-4-SH)] ( 2) the activation parameters of this exchange could be determined by line shape analysis.