Metal-Arene Interactions in Dialkylbiarylphosphane Complexes of Copper, Silver, and Gold

Dialkylbiphenylphosphane-Au-I complexes exhibit only weak metal arene interactions with the covering arene ring. However, the contacts in isoleptic Ag-I and Cu-I complexes are shorter than the limiting values of 3.03 angstrom (Ag-I) and 2.83 angstrom (Cu-I). Strong metal-arene interactions were also found in the two Ag-I aquo complexes and in two acetonitrile-Cu-I complexes with dialkylbiphenylphosphane ligands. Arene-Ag-I complexes with these bulky phosphane ligands show the strongest Ag-I-arene bonds known.