Xenon as a Complex Ligand: The Tetra Xenono Gold(II) Cation in AuXe 4 2+ (Sb 2 F 11 − ) 2

Abstract

The first metal-xenon compound with direct gold-xenon bonds is achieved by reduction of AuF 3 with elemental xenon. The square planar AuXe 4 2+ cation is established by a single-crystal structure determination, with a gold-xenon bond length of approximately 274 picometers. The bonding between gold and xenon is of the σ donor type, resulting in a charge of approximately 0.4 per xenon atom.