Cationic Au(I) Complexes of Indoles.

Cationic Au-(I) complexes of indoles embedding Buchwald phosphine ligands are described. A study combining NMR and X-ray crystallography is described in order to understand the nature of the coordination of the cationic Au atom to the C2-C3 double bond of indoles. Our studies reveal an intermediate coordination between η2 and η1, demonstrated by a strong sp3 character of the C3 atom and a significant slippage toward the C3 atom of the indole rings.