Coinage metal complexes of BN analogues of -terphenyl ligands.

We report the synthesis of a series of group 11 metal complexes with sterically demanding anionic nitrogen ligands based on the 1,2-azaborinine motif. The ligands, which share structural similarities with -terphenyls, have been used to stabilize two-coordinate phosphine complexes and dimeric complexes with close contacts between the metal centers. Spectroscopic, crystallographic, and theoretical investigations reveal close parallels to the related -terphenyl complexes, including metallophilic interactions in the dimers.