Treatment of [M(CO)₄{(PPh₂)₂CHPPh₂}](M = Cr a, Mo b or W c) with 1 equivalent of [AuX(tht)] or [Au(tht)(PPh₃)]ClO₄(tht = tetrahydrothiophene) afforded the neutral binuclear complexes [M(CO)₄{(PPh₂)₂CHPPh₂AuX}](X = Cl 1a–1c or C₆F₅2a-2c), or the cationic derivatives [M(CO)₄{(PPh₂)₂CHPPh₂Au(PPh₃)}]ClO₄3a-3c. Complexes 2 and 3 are readily deprotonated by [NBu₄][acac](acac = acetylacetonate) to give the tris(diphenylphosphino)methanide species [NBu₄]-[M(CO)₄{(PPh₂)₂CPPh₂Au(C₆F₅)}]4a–4c and [M(CO)₄{(PPh₂)₂CPPh₂Au(PPh₃)}](5a–5c). Tri-nuclear compounds of the type [NBu₄][{M(CO)₄[(PPh₂)₂CPPh₂]}₂Au]6a–6c were obtained by reaction of [M(CO)₄{(PPh₂)₂CHPPh₂] with [NBu₄][Au(acac)₂] in the ratio 2:1. Single-crystal structure determinations were performed for compounds 1b, 2b and 4b. In the neutral complexes 1b and 2b the atoms C(2)(carbonyl), Mo, P(1)(co-ordinated to Au) and Au are essentially coplanar; the principal structural differences between the neutral and anionic (4b) complexes are the shorter P–C bonds and a rotation about the C–P(1) bond in the latter complex.