[AuTl(C6F5)2(en)] (en = ethylenediamine) reacts with cyclic ketones as cyclopentanone (Cy5 O), cyclohexanone (Cy6 O) or cycloheptanone (Cy7 O) in 1:1 or 1:2 molar ratio leading to products of stoichiometry [AuTl(C6F5)2{Cyx N(CH2)2NH2}] (x = 5 1, 6 2 or 7 3), or [AuTl(C6F5)2{Cyx N(CH2)2N Cyx}] (x = 5 4, 6 5 or 7 6). Addition of ethylenediamine to the ketimine complexes in chloroform regenerates [AuTl(C6F5)2(en)], the starting material, and the free ketimines, as their NMR and mass spectra evidenced. The ketimine complexes display luminescence in solid state at room temperature and at 77 K at higher wavelengths than the diamine starting product (505 nm). The excited states responsible for this behaviour are assigned to orbitals due to the gold–thallium interactions.

This work was supported by the D.G.I. (MEC)/FEDER (CTQ2007- 67273-C02-02). M. Montiel thanks the C.A.R. (Comunidad Autónoma de La Rioja) and T. Lasanta thanks M.I.C.I.N.N. (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación) for their grants.

Peer Reviewed