Gold(I)–Thiolate Coordination Polymers as Multifunctional Materials: The Case of Au(I)–p‑Fluorothiophenolate

Gold–sulfur interaction has vital importance in nanotechnologies and material chemistry to design functional nanoparticles, self-assembled monolayers, or molecular complexes. In this paper, a mixture of only two basic precursors, such as the chloroauric acid (HAu­(III)­Cl4) and a thiol molecule (p-fluorothiophenol (p-HSPhF)), are used for the synthesis of gold­(I)–thiolate coordination polymers. Under different conditions of synthesis and external stimuli, five different functional materials with different states of [Au­(I)­(p-SPhF)]n can be afforded. These gold–thiolate compounds are (i) red emissive, flexible, and crystalline fibers; (ii) composite materials made of these red emissive fibers and gold nanoparticles; (iii) amorphous phase; (iv) transparent glass; and (v) amorphous-to-crystalline phase-change material associated with an ON/OFF switch of luminescence. The different functionalities of these materials highlight the great versatility of the gold­(I) thiolate coordination polymers with easy synthesis and diverse shaping that may have great potential as sustainable phosphors, smart textiles, sensors, and phase change memories.