Polynuclear gold(I) complexes in photoredox catalysis: understanding their reactivity through characterization and kinetic analysis

The light mediated reduction of unactivated carbon-halogen bonds using polynuclear gold(I) complexes provides a mild and temporally controlled route to the generation of C-H, and C-C bonds. Through complete photophysical and electrochemical charaterization of a series of gold(I) complexes we have been able to achieve a more intimate understanding of the complexities surrounding the excited state processes and mechanism which underly these transformations, allowing for, and facilitating further and future optimizations and applications.