Si NMR spectroscopy was employed to evaluate the electron donor properties of the (L)Au fragments in the cationic gold (β,β-disilyl)vinylidene complexes [(L)Au=C=CSi(Me) CH CH Si(Me) ] B(C F ) [L=P(tBu) o-biphenyl or NHC] relative to the p-substituted aryl group in the α-aryl-(β,β-disilyl)vinyl cations [(p-C H X)-C= CSi(Me) CH CH Si(Me) ] B(C F ) . Similarly, F NMR was employed to evaluate the σ- and π-electron donor properties of the (L)Au fragments in the neutral gold fluorophenyl complexes (L)Au(C H F) and in the cationic (fluorophenyl)methoxycarbene complexes [(L)AuC(OMe)(C H F)] SbF [L=P(tBu) o-biphenyl or IPr] relative to the p-substituted aryl group of the protonated monofluorobenzophenones [(p-C H X)(C H F)COH] OTf . The results of these studies indicate that relative to p-substituted aryl groups, the gold (L)Au fragments [L=P(tBu) o-biphenyl or NHC] are significantly more inductively electron donating and are comparable π-donors and for this reason, the extent of (L)Au→C1 electron donation in gold carbene complexes appears to exceed that provided by a p-(dimethyamino)phenyl group. Furthermore, the [L=P(tBu) o-biphenyl]Au fragment is a nominally stronger electron donor than the (IPr)Au fragment, and both are significantly more inductively electron donating than the (PPh )Au and [P(OMe) ]Au fragments.