Gold(I), phosphanes, and alkynyls: The perfect allies in the search for luminescent compounds

A family of mixed phosphane/alkynyl gold(I) complexes was prepared by addition of PPh3 or PPh2py to suspensions of the polymeric species [Au(C≡CR)n] [R = Ph, 2‐pyridyl (py)] and [Au2{C≡C(CH2)3C≡C}]n. The resulting complexes are luminescent both at room and low temperature, in solution and in the solid state. The emissions are assigned to intraligand transitions associated with the C≡C moieties or related to 3[σ(Au–P)→π*(C≡Cpy)] transitions. The crystal structure of dinuclear complex [Au2{C≡C(CH2)3C≡C}(PPh2py)2] shows the presence of dimers stabilized by intermolecular aurophilic interactions.Authors thank the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO-FEDER CTQ2016-75816-C2-1-P) and Gobierno de Aragón-Fondo Social Europeo (E77) for financial support.Peer reviewe