[1,3-Bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene]chloridogold(I)

The molecule of the title compound, [AuCl(C(27)H(36)N(2))], which belongs to a class of potentially catalytically active N-heterocyclic carbene complexes, has crystallographic C(2) symmetry and approximate C(2v) symmetry. The structure is isostructural with the Cu(I) and Ag(I) analogues. A previous report of the structure of the title compound as its toluene solvate [Fructos et al. (2005). Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 44, 5284-5288] has inaccurate geometry for the complex molecule as a consequence of probable incorrect refinement in the space group Cc, instead of C2/c [Marsh (2009). Acta Cryst. B65, 782-783]. The Au-C bond length of 1.998 (4)  Å in the title compound is more consistent with the mean distance of 1.979 (14) Å found in 52 other reported [AuCl(carbene)] complexes than with the shorter distance of 1.942 (3) Å given for the refinement in the space group Cc for the toluene solvate and the value of 1.939 Å obtained from the recalculation of that structure in C2/c.