Aurophilic attraction in binuclear complexes with Au(I) and Au(III). A theoretical study

Model compounds are used to study the aurophilic attraction among gold atoms in the different oxidation states Au(I)-Au(I), Au(I)-Au(III) and Au(III)-Au(III). An attraction is found for all models and there is a reasonable agreement between the experimental and theoretical geometries at the MP2 level. The dispersion, induction and electrostatic multipole components to this attraction are analyzed using intermolecular models.