A dicoordinate gold(i)-ethylene complex

The use of the exceptionally bulky tris-2-(4,4 '-di-tert-butylbiphenylyl)phosphine ligand allows the isolation and complete characterization of the first dicoordinate gold(i)-ethylene adduct, filling a missing fundamental piece on the organometallic chemistry of gold. Besides, the bonding situation of this species has been investigated by means of state-of-the-art Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations indicating that pi-backdonation plays a minor role compared with tricoordinate analogues.

Automated summary

In this study, the first dicoordinate gold(i)-ethylene adduct was isolated and characterized using a bulky tris-2-(4,4 '-di-tert-butylbiphenylyl)phosphine ligand. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations showed that pi-backdonation plays a minor role in its bonding situation compared to tricoordinate analogues.