Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 18, 2026
10:09
Synthesis and Characterization of Amphiphilic Gold Nanoparticles
Published on: July 2, 2019
18.3K
Structure and reactivity of a mononuclear gold(II) complex
Sebastian Preiß1, Christoph Förster1, Sven Otto1,2
1Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 10-14, D-55128 Mainz, Germany.
Nature Chemistry
|November 24, 2017
Summary
Researchers synthesized a stable gold(II) complex, revealing its unique structure and reactivity. This breakthrough provides crucial data on gold(II) ionic radius and its periodic table placement.
Area of Science:
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Organometallic Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Mononuclear gold(II) complexes are exceptionally rare and highly reactive species.
- Their fundamental structural, electronic, and ionic properties, including the ionic radius of gold(II), remain largely unknown.
- Transient gold(II) species have been implicated in catalysis and medicine, yet lack detailed characterization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize a stable mononuclear gold(II) complex.
- To elucidate the geometric and electronic structure of gold(II).
- To investigate the reactivity of gold(II) complexes and determine the gold(II) ionic radius.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a novel neutral gold(II) complex with a porphyrin derivative.
- Structural determination using X-ray crystallography.
- Spectroscopic analysis (e.g., UV-Vis, NMR) to probe electronic structure.
- Reactivity studies with dioxygen, nitrosobenzene, and acids.
Main Results:
- Isolation of an unprecedentedly stable neutral gold(II) complex.
- Determination of a unique 2+2 coordination mode for the gold atom.
- Identification of a second-order Jahn-Teller distortion driven by relativistic effects.
- Characterization of gold(II) ionic radius and its position in the periodic table.
Conclusions:
- The study presents the first stable gold(II) complex, offering a window into its chemistry.
- The findings clarify the coordination preferences and electronic structure of gold(II) ions.
- This work establishes the gold(II) ionic radius and its place among related transition metal ions.
More Related Videos
07:08In Situ Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles without Aggregation in the Interlayer Space of Layered Titanate Transparent Films
Published on: January 17, 2017
8.5K
08:21A Simple Method for the Size Controlled Synthesis of Stable Oligomeric Clusters of Gold Nanoparticles under Ambient Conditions
Published on: February 5, 2016
22.6K
Related Concept Videos
03:45Formation of Complex Ions
26.3K
A type of Lewis acid-base chemistry involves the formation of a complex ion (or a coordination complex) comprising a central atom, typically a transition metal cation, surrounded by ions or molecules called ligands. These ligands can be neutral molecules like H2O or NH3, or ions such as CN− or OH−. Often, the ligands act as Lewis bases, donating a pair of electrons to the central atom. These types of Lewis acid-base reactions are examples of a broad subdiscipline called coordination...
26.3K
01:09Complexation Equilibria: Factors Influencing Stability of Complexes
873
In complexation reactions, metal cations are the electron pair acceptors, and the ligands are the electron pair donors. The stability of the metal complexes depends primarily on the complexing ability of the central metal ion and the nature of the ligands. Generally, the complexing ability of the metal ion depends on the size and charge of the ion. As the metal ion size increases, the stability of the metal complexes decreases, provided that the valency of the metal ion and the ligands remain...
873
02:57Coordination Number and Geometry
19.1K
For transition metal complexes, the coordination number determines the geometry around the central metal ion. Table 1 compares coordination numbers to molecular geometry. The most common structures of the complexes in coordination compounds are octahedral, tetrahedral, and square planar.
19.1K
02:51Metal-Ligand Bonds
24.6K
The hemoglobin in the blood, the chlorophyll in green plants, vitamin B-12, and the catalyst used in the manufacture of polyethylene all contain coordination compounds. Ions of the metals, especially the transition metals, are likely to form complexes.
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
24.6K
02:34Structural Isomerism
21.8K
Isomerism in Complexes
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can...
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can...
21.8K
02:42Valence Bond Theory
11.4K
Coordination compounds and complexes exhibit different colors, geometries, and magnetic behavior, depending on the metal atom/ion and ligands from which they are composed. In an attempt to explain the bonding and structure of coordination complexes, Linus Pauling proposed the valence bond theory, or VBT, using the concepts of hybridization and the overlapping of the atomic orbitals. According to VBT, the central metal atom or ion (Lewis acid) hybridizes to provide empty orbitals of suitable...
11.4K