A new gold(III)-aminoethyl imidazolium aurate salt: Synthesis, characterization and reactivity

Tetrachloroauric acid HAuCl4 reacts with the ionic liquid 1-(2-aminoethyl)-3-methylimidazolium nitrate [NH2(CH2)(2)ImMe]NO3, (2b) or its dicationic ammonium salt [NH3(CH2)(2)ImMe][NO3](2), (3) in methanolic solutions to give the novel gold(III)-aminoethyl imidazolium aurate salt [Cl3AuNH2(CH2)(2)ImMe][AuCl4] (4). The reaction of 4 with [Bu-n(4)]Cl gives [NH2(CH2)(2)ImMe][AuCl4] (2c) whereas with acetone the dicationic, iminium-functionalized, imidazolium aurate salt [Me2C=N(H)(CH2)(2)ImMe][AuCl4](2) (5) has been isolated. The structures in the solid state of 2c, 3, 4, and 5 have been determined by X-ray diffraction. The electrochemical behaviour of 4 has been examined by Cyclic voltammetry in acetonitrile and compared with 2c and KAuCl4. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.