Polynuclear Gold(I) Complexes of Dendritic Amines: Formation of Terminal Tris[(triphenylphosphine)aurio(I)]ammonium Groups -N(AuPPh3)3 1+

The reactions of dendritic amines RN(CH2CH2CH2NH2)2 (R = Me, c-Hex, PhCH2) and N(CH2CH2NH2)3 with tris[(triphenylphosphine)aurio(I)]oxonium tetrafluoroborate [O(AuPPh3)3]+BF4 - in THF yield species with terminal imido cluster groups -N(AuPPh3)3 1+. The compounds have been obtained as stable crystalline solids in high yields and characterized by NMR spectroscopy as well as mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The triply charged nonanuclear complex [N(CH2CH2N(AuPPh3)3)3]3+ exhibits major changes in the 1H spectroscopic data and in the chemical properties as compared with com pounds with dications [RN(CH2CH2CH2N(AuPPh3)3)2]2+ (R = Me, c-Hex, PhCH2). Excessive auration to give hypercoordinated species has not been observed