Abstract
A Missing Gold Link: An AuIII alkene complex has been prepared and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Its bonding features have been analyzed by DFT calculations and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. In [(cod)AuMe2]+, the unequal AuC bond lengths result from the domination of the preference of 1,5-cyclooctadiene (cod) for nonparallel double bonds over back donation from the metal which favors parallel double bonds.