Final Report Summary - GOCAT (Gold(III) Chemistry: Structures, Bonding, Reactivity and Catalysis)
Gold complexes have in recent years risen to prominence in synthesis and catalysis; however, their reaction chemistry is less explored than for any other transition metal. In addition, gold complexes show intriguing luminescent and cytotoxic properties. The GOCAT project has concentrated on gold in the oxidation state +III stabilised by bi- and tridentate ligands, exploiting the donor-ligand trans-influence to guide properties and reactivity. The work has so far led to the isolation of several compound types of fundamental importance, such as carbonyl, alkene, alkyne and hydride complexes, and has unravelled unprecedented reaction pathways, notably those based on odd-electron intermediates (containing gold in the rare oxidation state +II). Results show how fundamentally different gold chemistry can be from the reactions of other transition metals. In particular, insertion reactions have been discovered which proceed with extremely high stereo- and regioselectivity. Cytotoxicity studies have led to the identification of several classes of compounds which are highly effective against cisplatin-resistant cancer cell lines, and we have devised methodology for vectorising these compounds for greater cell take-up selectivity. Studies on photo-and electroluminescence properties of our gold compounds have led to the discovery of new types of highly efficient photo-emissive materials for incorporation into organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). This work is now being pursued with commercial funding and it likely to impact on future display screen technology, replacing currently used iridium emitters for display and lighting applications.