Phosphorescent Isocyanide-Metal-Carboranyl complexes of Copper(I) and Gold(I): Synthesis and Radioluminescence

A series of (L)MX (L = isocyanide; M = Cu(I) or Au(I); X = chloride or carboranyl) complexes have been prepared. The first examples of isocyanide Cu(I) chloride complexes with 1:1 stoichiometry between isocyanide and CuCl are reported and structurally characterised. The photophysical properties of (RNC)AuCl and (RNC)Au(?1-carboranyl) complexes have been investigated. Complexes (RNC)Au(?1-carboranyl) show no aurophilic Au-Au interactions and emit long-lived deep-blue phosphorescence up to 377 ?s. The radioluminescence of these gold complexes was studied to show a superior radioluminescence stability for the gold(carboranyl) complexes compared to gold chloride materials under constant high energy X-ray radiation of 350 keV.