Isolation of elusive gold-phosphane tellurides: From bonding to σ-hole dynamics

Pérez-Sánchez, Juan Carlos ; Ceamanos, Carmen ; Echeverría, Jorge ; Alegre-Requena, Juan V. ; Pérez Herrera, Raquel ; Gimeno, M. Concepción

Resumen: Tellurium, one of Earth’s rarest elements, plays a crucial role in electronic and materials applications, yet its coordination chemistry with metals remains underexplored. Although gold and tellurium coexist in nature, their chemical interactions and tellurium transfer processes between metals are poorly understood due to the instability of intermediates. Here, we report the synthesis of elusive gold(I) and gold(III) complexes featuring a terminal triisopropylphosphane telluride, representing snapshots of a phosphane-mediated tellurium transfer. In gold(I) species, this process is driven by intermolecular Au···Au interactions, leading to decomposition. This instability is overcome by using a sterically demanding N-heterocyclic carbene, enabling the isolation of the first gold(I) complex with a terminal (iPr)3PTe ligand. Spectroscopic and computational studies reveal unique bonding trends across the chalcogen series (O, S, Se, and Te) and demonstrate that gold coordination amplifies the tellurium σ-hole, enhancing chalcogen bond catalysis, with the cationic gold(I) complex as the most active catalyst.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102717

Año: 2025

Publicado en: Cell Reports Physical Science (2025), 102717 [13 pp.]
ISSN: 2666-3864

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/AEI/PID2022-140244NB-I00
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/E07-23R
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MCIU/FPU21/01888
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN AEI/PID2022-136861NB-I00
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PID2022-140159NA-I00
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PID2023-147471NB-I00

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)