LUDWIG-MOND-LECTURE - HIGH-CARAT GOLD COMPOUNDS

The clustering of mono-coordinate gold(I) cations of the type LAu(+) a t Main Group Element nucleation centres leads to a wide variety of agg regates with novel stoichiometries and molecular structures. The unexp ected hypercoordination at boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur frequently observed in these species is rationalized on th e basis of significant Au-Au bonding (auriophilicity), which also give s rise to a supramolecular chemistry of simple mono-nuclear two-coordi nate gold(I) complexes.