Preparation and self-aggregation properties of a series of pyrene-imidazolylidene complexes of gold (I)

This article describes the preparation of three different Au(I) complexes bearing a pyrene-imidazolylidene ligand, two of which are bound to phenyl-acetylene ligands. The supramolecular and photophysical properties of all three complexes are described. The supramolecular behavior of all three complexes is dominated by the presence of the pyrene moiety, which facilitates that all compounds show pi-stacking interactions in solution and in the solid state. The molecular structures of all three complexes were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The H-1 NMR studies performed in CDCl3, show that the self-association constants are in the range of 11-44 M-1. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.