Vivian Yam and co-workers, University of Hong Kong, China, have developed the first example of alkynylgold(III) complexes containing dianionic N N N pincer ligands. The ligands are derived from 2,6-bis(benzimidazol-2′-yl)pyridine (H₂bzimpy) and the complexes show low-energy absorption bands at 378–466 nm, which were assigned as metal-perturbed π–π* intraligand transitions of the bzimpy²⁻ ligands. One of the complexes was also found to show gelation properties, driven by π–π and hydrophobic–hydrophobic interactions.

This sol–gel transition means complexes of this type are potential candidates for applications such as sensors for micro-environmental changes. This class of gold(III) alkynyls may also open up new opportunities for applications in other fields, such as in catalysis, as the bzimpy²⁻ ligand opens up interesting possibilities by being able to incorporate different functional groups.

• Synthesis, Characterization, Self-Assembly, Gelation, Morphology and Computational Studies of Alkynylgold(III) Complexes of 2,6-Bis(benzimidazol-2′-yl)pyridine Derivatives,
  King-Chin Yim, Elizabeth Suk-Hang Lam, Keith Man-Chung Wong, Vonika Ka-Man Au, Chi-Chiu Ko, Wai Han Lam, Vivian Wing-Wah Yam,
  Chem. Europ. J. 2014.
  DOI: 10.1002/chem.201402876