Three-coordinated aminotroponiminate and aminotroponate complexes of gold(I)

Potassium N-isopropyl-2-(isopropylamino)troponiminate, K{(iPr)(2)ATI}, and potassium N-cyclohexyl-2-(cyclohexylamino)troponiminate, K{(Cy)(2)ATI}, were synthesized by treatment of the neutral ligands with an excess of KH in THF. Reaction of the potassium reagents with [AuClPPh3] resulted in the gold complexes [Au{(iPr)(2)ATI}PPh3] and [Au{(Cy)(2)ATI}PPh3]. The solid-state structures of both compounds, in which the ligands are arranged in plane, show distorted trigonal planar coordinated gold atoms. Potassium 2-(isopropylamino)troponate (K(iPrAT)) and the cyclohexyl analogue (K(CyAT)) were obtained by deprotonation of corresponding aminotropones with KH. In an analogous fashion the gold complexes of composition [Au(iPrAT)PPh3] and [Au(CyAT)PPh3] were prepared by reaction of K(iPrAT) and K(CyAT) with [AuClPPh3], respectively.