Self-Assembly of Coordination Polymers: Evidence for Dynamic Exchange between Oligomers in Solution and the Isolation of a Homochiral Decagold(I) Oligomer

Reactions of the precursor molecules [Au2(μ-BINAP)(O2CCF3)2], 1a, racemic BINAP, 1b, S-BINAP (BINAP = 2,2‘-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1‘-binaphthyl) with the easily exchanged linear bis(pyridine) ligand 1,2-trans-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (bipyen) gave the polymeric complex [{Au2(μ-R-BINAP)0.5(μ-S-BINAP)0.5(μ-bipyen)}n](CF3CO2)2n, 2a, but either the polymer [{Au2(μ-S-BINAP)(μ-bipyen)}n](CF3CO2)2n, 2b, or the remarkable oligomeric [Au10(μ-S-BINAP)5(μ-bipyen)4(κ-bipyen)2](CF3CO2)10, 3, respectively. The type of oligomer 3 is a missing link in the ring-opening polymerization of macrocyclic coordination compounds.