Luminescent chains formed from neutral, triangular gold complexes sandwiching TlI and AgI. Structures of (Ag([Au(mu-C2,N3-bzim)]3)2)BF4.CH2Cl2, (Tl([Au(mu-C2,N3-bzim)]3)2)PF(6).0.5THF (bzim = 1-benzylimidazolate), and (Tl([Au(mu-C(OEt)=NC6H4CH3)]3)2)PF6.THF, with MAu6 (M = Ag+, Tl+) cluster cores.

It has been found that several trinuclear complexes of AuI interact with silver and thallium salts to intercalate Ag+ and Tl+ cations, thereby forming chains. The resulting sandwich clusters center the cations between the planar trinuclear moieties producing structures in which six AuI atoms interact with each cation in a distorted trigonal prismatic coordination. The resultant (B3AB3B3AB3)infinity pattern of metal atoms also shows short (approximately 3.0 A) aurophilic interactions between BAB molecular centers. These compounds display a strong visible luminescence, under UV excitation, which is sensitive to temperature and the metal ion interacting with the gold. X-ray crystal structures are reported for Ag([Au(mu-C2,N3-bzim)]3)2BF4CH2Cl2 (P1, Z = 2, a = 14.4505(1) A; b = 15.098(2)A; c = 15.957(1)A; alpha = 106.189(3) degrees; beta = 103.551(5) degrees; gamma = 101.310(5) degrees); Tl([Au(mu-C2,N3-bzim)]3)2PF(6)05C4H8O (P1, Z = 2, a = 15.2093(1)A; b = 15.3931(4)A; c = 16.1599(4)A; alpha = 106.018(1) degrees; beta = 101.585(2) degrees; gamma = 102.068(2) degrees); and Tl([Au(mu-C(OEt)=NC6H4CH3)]3)2PF6.C4H8O (P2(1)/n, Z = 4, a = 16.4136(3)A; b = 27.6277(4)A; c = 16.7182(1)A; beta = 105.644(1) degrees). Each compound shows that the intercalated cation, Ag+ or Tl+, coordinates to a distorted trigonal prism of six AuI atoms. The counteranions reside well apart from the cations between the cluster chains.