Synthesis, Solution Behavior, Molecular and Supramolecular Structures of the Water- soluble Gold(I) Saccharinate Complexes M[Au(Sac)2] (M = Na, K, NH4)

Three gold(I) saccharinate complexes of the type M[Au(Sac)2] (M = Na, K and NH4) have been
prepared by treatment of Au(tht)Cl (tht = tetrahydrothiophene) with saccharine and MOH in MeOHacetone.
The compounds are very stable in the solid state but moderately soluble and of limited
stability in water. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of the three compounds revealed a linear
coordination of the gold atom by the two N-bonded saccharinato ligands. ForM = Na, the two heterobicyclic
ligands are roughly coplanar with a cis orientation of the two carbonyl groups which allows
for a chelation of the sodium cation. For M = K, NH4, the ligands form large dihedral angles with
a trans orientation of the donor sites out of which the potassium cations are coordinated in bridging
positions between neighboring anions, and the ammonium ions are hydrogen-bonded, respectively.