Systematic theoretical and experimental investigations have been performed to understand the periodicity and electronic structures of trivalent-gold halides using gold tetrahalides [AuX4]? anions (X = F, Cl, Br, I, At, Uus). The [AuX4]? (X = Cl, Br, I) anions were produced in gas phase and their negative-ion photoelectron spectra were obtained, which exhibited rich and well-resolved spectral peaks. We calculated the adiabatic as well as vertical electron detachment energies using density functional methods with scalar and spin-orbit coupling relativistic effects. The simulated photoelectron spectra based on these calculations are in good agreement with the experimental spectra. Our results show that the trivalent Au(III) oxidation state becomes progressively less stable while Au(I) is preferred when the halides become heavier along the Period Table. This trend reveals that the oxidation state of metals in complexes can be manipulated through ligand design
Revised: February 23, 2016 |
Published: December 7, 2015
Citation
Li W., Y. Li, C. Xu, X.B. Wang, E.R. Vorpagel, and J. Li. 2015.Periodicity, Electronic Structures, and Bonding of Gold Tetrahalides [AuX4](-) (X = F, CI, Br, I, At, Uus).Inorganic Chemistry 54, no. 23:11157-11167.PNNL-SA-111437.doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5b01489