Amine complexes of gold, part 11a: Structures of two (methylamine)gold(I) complexes

The first methylamine complexes of gold are reported. Both crystallize in chiral trigonal space groups. In bis(methylamine)gold(I) chloride [(CH3NH2)(2)Au](+) Cl- the gold and chlorine atoms lie on twofold axes in space group P3(1)21. The packing is largely determined by two hydrogen bonds of the form N-H Cl which combine to form chains of rings the latter with graph set R-4(2)(12). Aurophilic interactions are at best borderline [Au Au 3.9014(2) Cyano(methylamine)gold(I) (CH3NH2)AuCN crystallizes in space group P3(1); the molecules are connected by short aurophilic contacts [Au Au 3.1507(2) ] to form spiral chains parallel to the c axis and also by two hydrogen bonds of the form N-H N equivalent to C.