“Interaction between [Au(CN)2]– tecton and Zn2+ complexes: some connections from solution to crystalline state.”

Transition-metal-based luminescent compounds are receiving increasing attention, owing to their use in optical devices and technological applications. In this regard, coinage metal compounds show great potential, due to their optical properties and interesting tendency to give polynuclear species, wherein metallophilic interactions lead to enhanced luminescence.[1], [2] In particular, the dicyanoaurate ion is a widely-employed tecton, because of its versatility in intermolecular interaction, which it can establish during the formation of heteronuclear complexes. On the other hand, the behaviour of [Au(CN)2]– in solution with other metal ions has been seldom investigated, even though it could be essential to establish if some pre-organisation exists in the liquid phase and what parameters may have effect on it. In order to investigate if it is possible to establish some connections between the solution chemistry of metal complexes and a predictable engineering of the crystalline state, we studied the products of the [Au(CN)2]– tecton with a series of [ZnL]2+ systems (L = chelating nitrogen donor ligand).