Chalcogenide-centred gold complexes are an important class of compounds in which a central chalcogen is surrounded by several gold atoms or gold and other metals. They have special characteristics such as unusual geometries, electron deficiency and properties such as luminescence or non-linear optical properties. The best known species are the trinuclear [E(AuPR3)3]+, 'oxonium' type species, that have high synthetic applicability, not only in other chalcogen-centred species, but in many other organometallic derivatives. The aurophilic interactions play an important role in the stability, preference for a particular geometry and luminescence properties in this type of derivatives (critical review, 117 references).