Synthesis of Nanometer-Sized Cylinder-Like Structures from a 1,3,5-Triphenylbenzene-Bridged Tris-NHC Ligand and Ag^I, Au^I, and Cu^I

The metal-controlled self-assembly of nanometer-sized trinuclear cylinder-like assemblies is described. The 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene-derived trisimidazolium salt [1]­(PF6)3 reacts with 1.5 equiv of Ag2O to yield the trinuclear AgI hexacarbene complex [2]­(PF6)3, where three AgI ions are sandwiched in between two C3-symmetric tris-NHC ligands. Transmetalation of [2]­(PF6)3 with 3 equiv of [AuCl­(SMe2)] or CuI yields the trinuclear AuI hexacarbene complex [3]­(PF6)3 or the trinuclear CuI hexacarbene complex [4]­(PF6)3, respectively, with retention of the metallosupramolecular structure. The 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene ligand in the gold complex adopts a nonplanar geometry to allow π interactions between the central phenyl rings.