Gold(III) compounds containing a chelating, dicarbanionic ligand derived from 4,4'-di-tert-butylbiphenyl.

An oligomeric gold(III) compound containing dicarbanionic chelating 4,4'-di-tert-butylbiphenyl was prepared via transmetallation using the corresponding organotin(IV) compound. The reactivity of the chloro-bridged oligomer with various species including neutral N-, P-, and C-donor ligands as well as monoanionic S- and Se-ligands was investigated. Some of the products were characterised by X-ray crystallography. The photophysical properties of two derivatives were studied.