This dissertation focuses on the computational investigation of gold(I) acyclic diaminocarbene (ADC) complexes and their application in homogeneous gold(I) catalysis. Chapter 2 is an in-depth computational investigation of the σ- and π-bonding interactions that make up the gold-carbene bond. Due to the inherent conformation flexibility of ADC ligands, distortions of the carbene plane can arise that disrupt orbital overlap between the lone pairs on the adjacent nitrogen atoms and the empty p-orbital of the carbene. This study investigated the affect these distortions have on the strength of the σ- and π-bonding interactions. This investigation demonstrated that while these distortions can affect the σ- and π-bonding interactions, the ADC ligand have to become highly distorted before any significant change in energy of either the σ- or π-bonding interactions occurs. Chapter 3 is a collaborative investigation between experimental and computational methods, DFT calculations were employed to support the experimental catalytic results and determine the role that steric effects have in controlling the regioselectivity of a long-standing electronically controlled gold(I)-catalyzed tandem 1,6-enyne cyclization/hydroarylation reaction with indole. This study demonstrated that by sterically hindering nucleophilic attack of indole at the favored position, nucleophilic attack would occur at a secondary position leading to the selective formation of the electronically unfavored product. Chapter 4 is a collaborative investigation between experimental and computational methods. DFT calculations were employed to investigate and rationalize the importance of secondary non-covalent interactions and their influence on the enantioselectivity of a gold(I)-catalyzed intramolecular hydroamination of allene reaction. Through computational investigation of the enantiodetermining step, and the non-covalent interactions present between 2′-aryl substituent and the rest of the catalyst, it was determined that the presence of CF3 group on the 3,5-position of the 2′-aryl ring is crucial to maintaining a more rigid chiral pocket leading to higher enantiomeric excesses in this dynamic system. This increased rigidity is believed to be attributable to the several weak non-covalent interactions that arise between the allene substrate or diisopropyl N-substituent and the fluorine atoms of the CF3 groups.

Gold catalysis has become an important tool to achieve highly chemoselective p-acid activation. Exceptional reactivity and selectivity are often encountered under mild reaction conditions. These properties have made gold(I) complexes suitable catalysts for tremendous applications in the total synthesis of natural products. The first chapter will highlight a number of total syntheses using gold catalysis as a key step. The second chapter will cover our application of the gold(I)-catalyzed 6-endo-dig carbocyclization for the synthesis of bridgehead-substituted scaffolds and its use toward the synthesis of PPAP natural products. This research has opened our eyes to the utility of biphenylphosphine ligands, particularly JohnPhos, in gold(I)-catalysis. The reactivity and selectivity exhibited by gold(I) complexes is modulated by the nature of the ancillary ligand. Recent research rationalizes the impact of these ligands on the divergent reactivity observed between cationic and carbenoid intermediates. Our desire to favor the 6-endo-dig pathway has led us toward the discovery of another example of the diagonal reactivity that NHC carbene and biphenylphosphine ligands can bring to gold(I)-catalysis. Chapter three will explain the development of a selective gold-catalyzed synthesis of fused carbocycles . Our selective divergent synthesis of fused carbocycles, combined with the Diels–Alder reaction, has brought new synthetic opportunities. Chapter four will describe our approach toward the synthesis of various polycyclic diterpene-related frameworks. Starting with a unique linear precursor, we have developed a new “one-pot” process for the synthesis of three different polycyclic compounds related to the terpenoid family. The facile modulation of the linear precursor and the use of different dienophiles during the Diels–Alder reaction could enable the synthesis of diverse polycyclic analogues based on three principal frameworks. The gold(I)-catalyzed synthesis of fused carbocycles reached some limitations during our study. Regioselective control was found to be substantially more challenging, with terminal alkynes or alkynes bearing a sterically and electronically neutral methyl substituent. In chapter five, we will discuss how the complementarity of silver(I) catalysis to gold(I) catalysis enabled the selective divergent synthesis of three different fused carbocycles from a unique precursor. Moreover, copper(I) catalysis has given access to the 6-endo-dig pathway on terminal alkynes without the formation of a vinylidene intermediate.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. According to the WHO, cancer accounted for 7.4 million deaths world wide in 2004. The metallo-compound cisplatin has been used for years as an effective antitumor agent for treating solid tumours such as breast, bladder, lung, oesophageal, and head and neck carcinomas. However, the use of cisplatin as an antitumor agent has been limited because of its association with problems such as lack of selectivity for cancer cells over normal cells, development of resistance to cisplatin treatment, and side effects such as nephrotoxicity. Recent studies on anticancer drugs have focussed on alternative anticancer agents such as gold compounds in both Au(I) and (III) oxidation states, which have shown to be potential anticancer drug agents because of their ability to induce apoptosis in several human cancer cells. Some gold complexes have shown to be able to selectively kill cancer cells over normal cells.

The two major topics studied in this dissertation are the gold(I) pyrazolate trimer {[Au(3-R,5-R’)Pz]3} complexes in aqueous chitosan polymer and phosphorescent polymeric nanoparticles based on platinum(II) based complex. The first topic is the synthesis, characterization and optical sensing application of gold(I) pyrazolate trimer complexes within aqueous chitosan polymer. A gold(I) pyrazolate trimer complex, {[Au(3-CH3,5-COOH)Pz]3}, shows high sensitivity and selectivity for silver ions in aqueous media, is discussed for optical sensing and solution-processed organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) applications. Gold(I) pyrazolate trimer complexes are bright red emissive in polymeric solution and their emission color changes with respect to heavy metal ions, pH and dissolved carbon dioxide. These photophysical properties are very useful for designing the optical sensors. The phosphorescent polymeric nanoparticles are prepared with Pt-POP complex and polyacrylonitrile polymer. These particles show excellent photophysical properties and stable up to >3 years at room temperature. Such nanomaterials have potential applications in biomedical and polymeric OLEDs. The phosphorescent hybrid composites are also prepared with Pt-POP and biocompatible polymers, such as chitosan, poly-l-lysine, BSA, pnipam, and pdadmac. Photoluminescent enhancement of Pt-POP with such polymers is also involved in this study. These hybrid composites are promising materials for biomedical applications such as protein labeling and bioimaging.

Gold catalysis has become an important tool to achieve highly chemoselective p-acid activation. Exceptional reactivity and selectivity are often encountered under mild reaction conditions. These properties have made gold(I) complexes suitable catalysts for tremendous applications in the total synthesis of natural products. The first chapter will highlight a number of total syntheses using gold catalysis as a key step. The second chapter will cover our application of the gold(I)-catalyzed 6-endo-dig carbocyclization for the synthesis of bridgehead-substituted scaffolds and its use toward the synthesis of PPAP natural products. This research has opened our eyes to the utility of biphenylphosphine ligands, particularly JohnPhos, in gold(I)-catalysis. The reactivity and selectivity exhibited by gold(I) complexes is modulated by the nature of the ancillary ligand. Recent research rationalizes the impact of these ligands on the divergent reactivity observed between cationic and carbenoid intermediates. Our desire to favor the 6-endo-dig pathway has led us toward the discovery of another example of the diagonal reactivity that NHC carbene and biphenylphosphine ligands can bring to gold(I)-catalysis. Chapter three will explain the development of a selective gold-catalyzed synthesis of fused carbocycles . Our selective divergent synthesis of fused carbocycles, combined with the Diels–Alder reaction, has brought new synthetic opportunities. Chapter four will describe our approach toward the synthesis of various polycyclic diterpene-related frameworks. Starting with a unique linear precursor, we have developed a new “one-pot” process for the synthesis of three different polycyclic compounds related to the terpenoid family. The facile modulation of the linear precursor and the use of different dienophiles during the Diels–Alder reaction could enable the synthesis of diverse polycyclic analogues based on three principal frameworks. The gold(I)-catalyzed synthesis of fused carbocycles reached some limitations during our study. Regioselective control was found to be substantially more challenging, with terminal alkynes or alkynes bearing a sterically and electronically neutral methyl substituent. In chapter five, we will discuss how the complementarity of silver(I) catalysis to gold(I) catalysis enabled the selective divergent synthesis of three different fused carbocycles from a unique precursor. Moreover, copper(I) catalysis has given access to the 6-endo-dig pathway on terminal alkynes without the formation of a vinylidene intermediate.

No description available.

This work focuses on the design and synthesis of Au(I) and Ag(I) complexes from ligand systems that aim to combine both N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and phosphine ligand types. A number of synthetic approaches towards both the ligands and the prepared metal complexes have been developed, with a concerted effort on achieving the desired Au(I) or Ag(I) complexes with minimal reaction steps and synthetic style. The thesis body is divided into two main sections. The first section addresses the preparation of suitable ligand precursors of potential Au(I) and Ag(I) complexes in the form of halo- and phosphino-functionalised imidazolium salts. Several series of haloalkylimidazolium salts were prepared that encompass a range of halogens (Cl, Br, I), alkyl substituents (Me, i-Pr, t-Bu, n-Bu), differing alkyl linker length (n = 0-3), and a variety of organic spacers employed to bridge multi-imidazolium moieties. Novel bidentate and multidentate phosphinoalkylimidazolium salts were synthesised from the various haloalkylimidazolium salts, via the substitution of a halide with nucleophilic diphenylphosphide. A new approach towards rare methylene bridged phosphinomethylimidazolium salts was achieved from the reactions of halomethylimidazolium salts with diphenylphosphine. The second section investigates the preparation of Au(I) and Ag(I) complexes from the halo- and phosphino-functionalised imidazolium salts. A series of dicationic 10, 12, and 14-membered metallacyclic Ag(I) complexes were prepared from the bidentate phosphinoalkylimidazolium salts. The dinuclear Ag(I) metallacycles combine two phosphino-functionalised NHC ligands that are bridged by two coordinated Ag(I) ions in an exclusively head-to-head arrangement. A dinuclear Ag(I) metallacycle was investigated for transmetallation potential to a Au(I) complex and found to selectively transmetallate at the Ag(I) coordinated to the NHC ligands to form a bimetallic metallacycle. Unexpected phosphine oxidation of a 10-membered dinuclear Ag(I) metallacycle resulted in complex disproportionation to an isolable and rare silver(I) trimer. Metal-NHC complexes from haloalkylimidazolium salts have not been reported previously, a novel approach to the synthesis of a series of Au(I) complexes from haloalkylimidazolium salts and a respective gold source was developed and is reported herein. Different synthetic approaches towards Au(I) complexes with the phosphinoalkylimidazolium salts explored a variety of ways to generate the NHC from an imidazolium in the presence of the phosphine. A one-pot, high yielding synthesis of a dinuclear Au(I) complex from PPh3 was also devised, with controlled assembly of the complex resulting in a similar head-to-head ligand arrangement to the dinuclear Ag(I) metallacycles. As an aside, a family of mononuclear [Au(R2NHC)2]+ complexes (R = Me, i-Pr, t- Bu, n-Bu, Cy) prepared previously in our research group, was expanded because of the promising antimitochondrial activity shown by [Au(i-Pr2NHC)2]+. Two new [Au(R2NHC)2]+ complexes with simple alkyl chain functionality were prepared with fine-tuned lipophilicity in close proximity to that of [Au(i-Pr2NHC)2]+.

Ce travail de thèse porte sur la chimie organométallique des complexes d'or(I) et sur l'étude de leurs réactivités. Plus particulièrement, le travail présenté ici dans ce manuscrit avait pour objectif d'approfondir nos connaissances sur l'impact des ligands utilisés sur la réactivité de l'or vis-à-vis (i) de l'addition oxydante intermoléculaire et (ii) la possibilité de stabiliser des intermédiaires d'or(I) hautement réactifs. Dans la première partie de ce manuscrit, l'addition oxydante intermoléculaire des halogénures d'aryle (iodure et bromure) à des complexes moléculaires d'or(I) a été étudiée en détails. Nous avons pu montrer que cette étape élémentaire de la chimie organométallique, considéré comme impossible avec l'or, était en fait un processus favorable lorsqu'un ligand adéquat est employé, et deux stratégies différentes ont été élaborées. La première consiste à utiliser un ligand bis-phosphine bidenté qui impose une géométrie coudée autour de l'or, tandis que la deuxième stratégie implique l'utilisation d'un ligand hémi-labile bidenté avec des groupements donneurs doux et dur. Les deux stratégies ont été fructueuses, et les complexes d'or(III) issus des réactions d'addition oxydante ont été caractérisés spectroscopiquement et structuralement. Dans la deuxième partie, ayant à notre disposition deux complexes d'or(I) capable d'effectuer l'addition oxydante, nous voulions aller au-delà de cette étape élémentaire. Dans cet objectif, nous avons construit un nouveau cycle catalytique Au(I)/Au(III) impliquant une séquence d'addition oxydante Csp2-X, de Csp2-H auration et d'élimination réductrice, illustrant le premier exemple d'arylation directe d'arènes avec des halogénures d'aryle catalysée à l'or. Enfin, dans la dernière partie, nous avons tenté de stabiliser et de caractériser des intermédiaires d'or(I) très instables, comme le a-oxo carbène d'or(I). Cette espèce hautement électrophile est proposée comme un intermédiaire clés dans des nombreuses transformations catalytiques, mais n'a jamais été isolé ou caractérisé (en solution ou à l'état solide). L'utilisation d'un ligand bis-phosphine bidenté nous a permis de caractériser spectroscopiquement et structuralement le carbène a-oxo d'or(I) pour la première fois. Nous avons ensuite étudié sa réactivité vis-à-vis des réactions d'insertion et de cyclopropanation. / The present work is an organometallic study concerning the chemistry of gold(I) complexes and their reactivity. Of particular interest was to gain further knowledge on the impact of the ligands employed on the reactivity of gold towards (i) the intermolecular oxidative addition of aryl halides and (ii) the possibility of stabilizing high reactive gold(I) intermediates. In the first part of the manuscript, the intermolecular oxidative addition of aryl halides (iodide and bromide) with molecular gold(I) complexes was investigated in detail. We showed that this organometallic elementary step, usually considered to be impossible for gold, is actually a favorable process when an adequate ligand is employed and two different strategies have been elaborated. The first one consists in the use of a bis-phosphine bidentate ligand that forces a bent geometry around gold, whereas the second strategy implicates the use of a hemi-labile bidentate ligand bearing a soft and a hard donor group. Both strategies were found fruitful, and the gold(III) complexes stemming from oxidative addition reactions were characterized by spectroscopic and structural means. In the second part, having in hands two gold(I) complexes that undergo the oxidative addition reaction, we wanted to go beyond this elementary step. In that objective, we constructed a new Au(I)/Au(III) catalytic cycle involving a sequence of Csp2-X oxidative addition, Csp2-H auration and reductive elimination, allowing the first example of gold-catalyzed direct arylation of arenes with aryl halides. Finally, in the last part, we attempted to stabilize and characterize high reactive gold(I) intermediates, like the a-oxo gold(I) carbenes. This electrophilic species is proposed in many catalytic transformations as key intermediates, but has never been isolated or characterized (in solution or in solid state). The use of a bidentate diphosphine ligand allowed the characterization of the a-oxo gold(I) carbene for the first time by means of multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and high resolution mass spectroscopy (ESI+). We then investigated the reactivity of the a-oxo gold(I) carbene towards insertion and cyclopropanation reactions. Interestingly, the reactivity of the generated gold(I) carbenes can be modulated depending on the electronic properties of the aryl ethyl diazoacetate used.

Le premier projet de ce travail de doctorat a consisté à étudier l’activité catalytique de complexes à base de gallium(I), pour continuer à rechercher des alternatives aux catalyseurs à base de métaux nobles, plus communs, mais réputés coûteux et/ou toxiques. Le savoir-faire de l’équipe en catalyse par des complexes de gallium(III) a pu être réinvesti dans l’étude de ce bas degré d’oxydation du gallium, rarement étudié dans la littérature scientifique, dans l’espoir de détecter des réactivités et/ou sélectivités différentes d’avec des complexes de gallium(III). Ainsi, le complexe cationique bien défini de gallium(I) [Ga(PhF)2][Al(OC(CF3)3)4] a été employé dans une large gamme de réactions dans lesquelles les catalyseurs à base de gallium(III) avaient déjà fait leurs preuves, telles que l’hydroarylation d’arénynes, la réaction de Friedel-Crafts ou encore l’hydrogénation d’alcènes par transfert, pour laquelle une réactivité supérieure à celle des complexes usuellement utilisés au sein de l’équipe a été observée. Un analogue à base d’indium(I), [In(PhF)2][Al(OC(CF3)3)4], a également été étudié dans ces réactions, sans succès. En revanche, il s’est avéré efficace dans le cadre de réactions d’hydroamination d’aminoalcènes.En parallèle a été conduit un projet basé sur l’étude en tant qu’abstracteurs d’halogénures de complexes de divers métaux (argent, lithium, potassium, thallium(I)) comportant l’anion perfluoré, très volumineux et très faiblement coordinant [Al(OC(CF3)3)4]-. Dans le cadre de l’activation de pré-catalyseurs à base d’or(I), de gallium(III) ou d’indium(III) par abstraction d’halogénures, les sels d’argent sont les plus communément employés dans la littérature. Cependant, ces sels d’argents ne sont pas innocents en termes de réactivité. Par ailleurs, si les cations métalliques des sels employés en abstraction d’halogénures font l’objet d’un nombre raisonnable d’études dans la littérature, ce n’est pas autant le cas des anions qui leur sont associés : notre étude s’oriente selon ces deux problématiques. Il s’est avéré que les propriétés très faiblement coordinantes de l’anion [Al(OC(CF3)3)4]- ont mené à des réactivités et sélectivités différentes de celles obtenues avec l’emploi de sels plus usuels, AgSbF6 plus particulièrement, dans le cadre de réaction classiquement catalysées par l’or(I) ou le gallium(III) et déjà étudiées dans le premier projet de ce travail de thèse. Les complexes à base de gallium(I) et d’indium(I) impliqués dans le premier projet ont également été, succinctement, étudiés dans ce projet parallèle. / In the main project of this thesis work, the catalytic activity of gallium(I)-based complexes was explored. The aim was to keep on looking for alternatives to noble metals-based, more common catalysts, which have a reputation for being expensive and/or toxic. The know-how developed in the team on gallium(III)-based catalysis was reinvested into the study of this low oxidation degree of gallium, only scarcely studied in the literature. It was hoped to then detect different reactivity and/or selectivity than with gallium(III) complexes. Thus, the well-defined, cationic, gallium(I)-based complex [Ga(PhF)2][Al(OC(CF3)3)4] was used in a large array of reactions that were already successfully studied with gallium(III)-based catalysts, such as the hydroarylation of arenynes, the Friedel-Crafts reaction or the transfer hydrogenation of alkenes. In this later reaction in particular, the observed reactivity was superior to that achieved with the catalysts more commonly used in the team. An indium(I)-based analogue, [In(PhF)2][Al(OC(CF3)3)4], was also tested in these reactions, without any success. However, it was actually efficient in the context of aminoalkenes hydroamination reactions.The side-project of this work consisted in the study as halide abstractors of complexes, based on diverse metals (silver, lithium, potassium, thallium(I)) and containing the perfluorinated, very bulky and very weakly coordinating anion (WCA) [Al(OC(CF3)3)4]-. In the frame of the activation of gold(I), gallium(III) or even indium(III)-based pre-catalysts by halide abstraction, silver salts are the most frequently used. However, these silver salts are not non-innocent in terms of reactivity. Besides, if the cationic metal of the salts used in halide abstraction are the subject of a reasonable amount of studies in the literature, it is not the case of their anionic counterparts: we planned to address these two problematics with this project. It appeared that the very weakly coordinating properties of the anion [Al(OC(CF3)3)4]- in the context of the previously referred to reactions classically catalyzed by gold(I) or gallium(III)-based complexes led to different reactivity and selectivity than those achieved with the usual salts and in particular AgSbF6. The gallium(I) and indium(I)-based complexes involved into the main project were also briefly studied in this side-project.

Mittels eines elektrolytischen Verfahrens war es möglich Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff- Methansulfonat darzustellen. Dabei konnte auf den Einsatz von Cyaniden, Sulfiden, Sulfiten und Thiosulfaten verzichtet werden. Eine zeitintensive Synthese, über Gold(III) mit anschließendem Reduktionsschritt zum Gold(I), kann damit entfallen. Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff-Methansulfonat wurde durch anodische Auflösung metallischen Goldes in 5% iger Methansulfonsäure hergestellt, wobei sich im Masseverhältnis zu Gold von 1,2:1 Thioharnstoff im Anolyt befand. Als optimale Stromdichte wurden 0,5 A/dm² bis zu 4 A/dm² ermittelt. Die Stromdichte zeigte deutliche Abhängigkeiten von der eingesetzten Membran und vom Säuregehalt im Elektrolyten. Die Nutzung von Membranen der Firma Nafion® zeigten zur Trennung des Kathoden- und Anodenraums die besten Ergebnisse unter den eingesetzten Membranen. Die direkte Ausbeute bezogen auf das eingesetzte Gold von bis zu 85% zeigt, dass eine mit der Herstellung von Kaliumdicyanoaurat(I) vergleichbare Wirtschaftlichkeit erreicht werden kann. Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff-Methansulfonat ist stabil und kann trocken, lichtgeschützt und unter Luftabschluss mindesten 12 Monate gelagert werden. Aus der elektrochemischen Herstellung stammendes Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff-Methansulfonat konnte durch Zusatz von Ethanol und anschließender Vakuumdestillation bei maximal 60°C kristallisiert werden. Die Kristalle konnten mit Ethanol aufgenommen und erneut kristallisiert werden, um Sie für eine Röntgen-Einkristall-Struktur-Analyse und zur weiteren Charakterisierung zu nutzen. Die an Kristallen an der Technischen Universität Chemnitz durchgeführten, umfangreichenUntersuchungen sind in Kapitel C.2. dargelegt. Sie bestätigen den Au(I)-Charakter des im Komplex vorliegenden Goldes. Der Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff Methansulfonat-Komplex kristallisiert in der monoklinen Raumgruppe C2/c mit einem Molekül in asymmetrischer Koordination. Das Gold(I)-Ion wird durch zwei Thioharnstoff Liganden (Au1 – S1 2,2774(14) Å und Au1 – S2 2,2727(14) Å) linear koordiniert. Der sich dabei ergebende Winkel (S1–Au1–S2) wurde mit 179,50(5) ° ermittelt. Die planaren Thioharnstoff-Moleküle (rmsd = 0.0055 / 0.0056 Å) [72] zeigen eine Flugblattstruktur mit einer C1-S1-S2-C2-Torsion von 113°. Im 13C{1H} - NMR-Spektrum erscheint das C=S-Kohlenstoffatom bei einer charakteristischen Resonanz bei 175,3 ppm, was als Merkmal für diese Art der Gruppierung erwartungsgemäß um 8,5 ppm im Vergleich zu nicht komplexiertem Thioharnstoff im Hochfeld verschoben ist [82]. Das Auftreten von zwei Vibrationen im IR Spektrum bei 1.193 cm-1 (Vas (SO3)) und 1.058 cm-1 (Vas (SO3)) zeigt, dass ein nichtkoordiniertes Mesylat-Anion vorliegt [84]. Das thermische Verhalten wurde durch Thermogravimetrie (TG), gekoppelte Thermogravimetrie-Massenspektrometrie (TG-MS) und Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) untersucht. Die Zersetzung von Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff-Methansulfonat erfolgte in vier Schritten mit einem Gesamtgewichtsverlust von 56,3% im Bereich von 200 - 650 ° C. Das Verhalten bei der thermischen Zersetzung unter Stickstoff-bzw. Sauerstoffatmosphäre ist unter dem Gesichtspunkt Gewichtsverlust praktisch identisch, wobei der letzte Zersetzungsschritt unter Sauerstoff bei niedrigeren Temperaturen (N2 650°C; O2 616°C) beendet ist. Die jeweiligen Rückstände bei 800°C liegen für beide Messungen mit 43,8% geringfügig unter dem berechneten Wert für elementares Gold (44,3%). Es wurden durch Erhitzen einer 1-Hexadecylamin (C16H35N, 4,0 mM) -Lösung mit Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff-Methansulfonat an der Technischen Universität Chemnitz bei Prof. Heinrich Lang, Professur Anorganische Chemie, durch Frau Dr. Andrea Preuß und Alexander Kossmann Nanopartikel hergestellt. Diese wurden zur weiteren Untersuchung in Hexan dispergiert und waren so mehrere Tage stabil. Das UV/VIS-Spektrum in Hexan zeigte aufgrund der charakteristischen Oberflächenplasmonresonanz (SPR) der Au-NPs eine breite Absorption bei 528 nm [94]. Mittels Transmissionselektronenmikroskopie wurden die Partikelgrößen und deren Verteilung untersucht. Dabei wurden hauptsächlich kugelförmige Partikel mit einem mittleren Durchmesser von d = 14,5 nm und einer Standardabweichung von σ = 3,9 nm (Größenänderung cv = 27%) erhalten. Untersuchungen zur Eignung des gewonnenen Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff-Methansulfonats zur CCVD-Beschichtung von Oberflächen mittels des „Atmospheric Pressure Combustion Chemical Vabour Deposition (CCVD)-Verfahrens wurden an der Technischen Universität Chemnitz, bei Prof. Heinrich Lang, Professur Anorganische Chemie, durch Andrea Preuß in Zusammenarbeit mit Innovent e.V. Jena, Dr.-Ing. Björn Kretzschmar, Dr. Andreas Heft und Dr. Bernd Grünler durchgeführt. [95]. Es konnten mit Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff-Methansulfonat, als metallhaltige Ausgangsverbindung in Hexamethyldisiloxan (HMDSO), Goldschichten abgeschieden werden die zwischen 1,3 at% bis zu 13,3 at% Gold aufwiesen (at = Flächenanteil). Die abgeschiedenen Partikel zeigten dabei eine poröse Struktur. Eine XPS-Tiefenprofilmessung zeigte das vorwiegend Au(0), neben Au2O3 abgeschieden wurde. Die mittels CCVD abgeschiedenen Goldschichten wurden in der heterogenen Katalyse zur Reduktion von 4-Nitrophenol zu 4-Aminophenol mit NaBH4 verwendet. Die höchste katalytische Aktivität lag bei Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff-Methansulfonat, von allen untersuchten Goldverbindungen und damit erzeugten Schichten, vor [95]. Untersuchungen zur Nutzung des Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff-Methansulfonats zur galvanischen und außenstromlosen Beschichtung von Materialien wurden an der Hochschule Mittweida, Fakultät Ingenieurwissenschaften, bei Prof. Köster, Professur Fertigungs- und Oberflächentechnik, durchgeführt. Dabei zeigte sich, dass eine für technische Anwendungen geeignete galvanische Abscheidung von Gold aus Gold(I)-Dithioharnstoff-Methansulfonat aus den untersuchten Elektrolyten nicht erreicht werden konnte. Aus einer Vielzahl ausgewählter Additive konnte mit dem AUROSAX-Badadditiv 2-050 ein außenstromloser Elektrolyt gefunden werden, der nach den bisher vorliegenden Untersuchungen zur Vergoldung von Leiterplatten geeignet ist.