Metallophilic Au(I)•••M(I) interactions (M = Tl, Ag) in heteronuclear complexes with 1,4,7-triazacyclononane: structural features and optical properties

1,4,7-Triazacyclononane (TACN) has been used for the first time to support Au(i)MIDLINE HORIZONTAL ELLIPSISM [M = Tl(i), Ag(i)] metallophilic interactions in the formation of heteronuclear gold(i) complexes having luminescence properties. The compounds {[{Au(C6Cl5)(2)}Tl(TACN)](2)}(n)(1), [{Au(C6F5)(2)}Tl(TACN)] (2), [{Au(C6Cl5)(2)}Ag(TACN)] (3), and [{Au(C6F5)(2)}{Ag(TACN)}(2)Au(C6F5)(2)] (4) have been synthesized by reacting TACN and the polymeric starting organometallic gold(i) compounds [{Au(C6X5)(2)}M](n)(M = Ag(i), Tl(i); X = Cl, F) in a 1 : 1 molar ratio, in THF. 1, 3 and 4 have also been structurally characterized and their optical properties explained on the basis of their structural features with the support of TD-DFT calculations.