Molecular and Crystal Structures of the Product of the Reaction
between Tetrafluoroborate
tris[Triphenylphosphinegold(I)]oxonium and Calix[4]arene

L. G. Kuz’mina*, A. V. Churakov*, G. G. Sadikov*, and J. A. K. Howard**

* Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Leninski pr. 31, Moscow, 119991 Russia

** Chemistry Department, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, England

e-mail: kuzmina@igic.ras.ru

Received April 25, 2002

Abstract—The molecular and crystal structures of a complex salt in which the cation is tris[triphenylphosphi-
negold(I)]oxonium and the anion is deprotonated calix[4]arene are determined. The tris[triphenylphosphine-
gold(I)]oxonium cation forms a centrosymmetric, doubly charged, hexanuclear dimer. The oxonium oxygen
atoms are characterized by a nonplanar bond configuration: the Au–O–Au bond angles vary in the range
92.2(2)101.8(2) due to aurophilic interactions (Au···Au) occurring at distances in the range 2.9650(4)–
3.1836(4) Å. The monomers are joined into dimers via pairs of Au···Au interactions at a distance of 3.1880(5)
Å. The anion adopts a cone conformation. The deprotonated oxygen atom of the anion is involved in the for-
mation of two hydrogen bonds as a proton acceptor. In the crystal, two anions and one cation form a cluster in
which the large-sized dimer cation is capped by the two calix[4]arene anions on opposite sides: {AKA}. In
turn, these clusters form zigzag chains due to stacking interactions involving one of the benzene rings. © 2003
MAIK “Nauka/Interperiodica”.

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