Click Reaction Driven, Highly Fluorescent Dinuclear Organogold(I) Complex Exhibits a Dual Role: A Rare Au···H Interaction and an Antiproliferative Agent

Abstract

The metal–hydrogen (M···H) bonds in transition elements are well documented. However, the attractive AuI···H bond interaction is rare and significant experimental evidence for it still remains a challenge. Herein, we exhibit a rare example of a C–H···Au interaction in both the solid state and solution by employing a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study and NMR spectroscopy for the novel dinuclear Au(I) complex 1, prepared by a click reaction between organized and strained internal alkynes ((PPh3Au–C≡C−)2–C6H4) as reacting partners. Furthermore, 1 was found to be highly fluorescent in nature and revealed remarkable antiproliferative properties against skin melanoma cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 3.12 to 8.5 μM.