NOVEL AU(I)-BASED MOLECULAR CATALYSTS: FROM KNOW HOW TO KNOW WHY

In recent years, linear gold(I) complexes have been vastly employed in both homogeneous catalysis and medicinal applications, as anticancer agents. In this thesis novel Au(I)-complexes have been synthesized and their catalytic behavior has been deeply studied in the hydroalkoxylation reaction of alkynes, with particular focus on the role of the anion in different steps of the catalytic cycle, obtaining very interesting results. Furthermore, gold(I) compounds were screened for their antiproliferative effects on different cell lines, and in some cases very promising cytotoxic properties were found.