Our research interests include the synthesis, structure, bonding and optical properties of transition metal complexes. Currently we are utilitzing N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands as supports for obtaining short metal-metal interactions between closed shell metal ions, specifically Ag(I) and Au(I) metals. Complexes obtained with NHC ligands are highly luminescent though the complexes are mono, di, tri, or polymeric. Synthesis of the NHC precursor reacted with AgBF₄ in the presence of aqueous NaOH to produce the silver complex (1) which was then reacted with Au(tht)Cl to form the corresponding gold(I) complex, (2). Complex 2 reacted with 1 equiv of AgBF₄ to produce the mixed-metal species (3). The reaction of 2 with 1 equiv of Au(tht)Cl followed by metathesis with NaBF₄ produces the dimetallic gold complex (4). The reaction of (1) with 1 equiv of AgBF₄ produces the trinuclear complex (5), which appears to dissociate into a dimetallic complex in solution. Complexes 1-5 were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, UV-vis, luminescence spectroscopy, elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallography.