An extremely electron poor Au(III) trication bearing acetonitrile ligands

The synthesis and structural characterization of an electron poor Au(iii) trication bearing 2 imidazole and 2 acetonitrile ligands is described. The new complex is capable of aryl C-H metalation with the formation of a monomesitylene complex and also demonstrated to be highly oxidizing in the rapid room temperature conversion of cyclohexene to benzene.