Organogold compounds ylides

Ylide complexes of gold are unique in that they exhibit an exceptional chemical and thermal stability, which facilitates preparative and structural work very considerably. It was in this class of compounds that a large variety of true organogold(ll) and mixed valence organogold(l)/(lIl) complexes was discovered. These are rare in the remainder of organogold chemistry. 

Phosphorus ylides react with organogold halides to give a variety of interesting structures whose thermal decomposition has been studied. The compound 52 is stable at its melting point of 205 °C but decomposes at higher temperatures with clean elimination of ethane to afford 5370. Bulky groups also lead to considerable stabilization and compounds such as 54 and 55 have decomposition temperatures above 150°C71. Finally, the cyclic compound 56 cleanly eliminates ethane at 153-155 °C to give 5772. 

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