Ternary hydroxide complexes in neutral solutions of Al3+ and F-

Especially in G protein systems AlF4- has been claimed as an activating species serving as a tetrahedral phosphate analog. However, in aqueous solutions (H2O)2AlF4- is hexacoordinate with two bound water molecules. In neutral solutions five different mixed OH- and F- complexes of Al3+ comprise the main species under usual experimental conditions. Comparison of the mole fraction distribution curves with limited results on the activity as a function of ambient F- concentrations suggests an activating complex composed of Al3+ with three F- and uncertain geometry. Even fewer activity data suggest a tetrahedral Be2+ complex with three F-.