gold phosphide
Gold phosphides are inorganic compounds of gold and phosphorus. The only known gold phosphide is a metastable gold(I) polyphosphide with the formula {{chem2|Au2P3}}.{{cite journal |author1=R. Prins |author2=M. E. Bussell |title=Metal Phosphides: Preparation, Characterization and Catalytic Reactivity |journal=Catalysis Letters |date=2012 |volume=142 |issue=12 |pages=1413–1436 |doi=10.1007/s10562-012-0929-7 |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last1=Jeitschko |first1=W. |last2=Möller |first2=M. H. |date=1979-03-01 |title=The crystal structures of Au 2 P 3 and Au 7 P 10 I, polyphosphides with weak Au–Au interactions |url=https://scripts.iucr.org/cgi-bin/paper?S0567740879004180 |journal=Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=573–579 |doi=10.1107/S0567740879004180 |bibcode=1979AcCrB..35..573J |issn=0567-7408}}
Older texts sometimes refer to a binary auric phosphide {{chem2|AuP}};{{cite book |last1=Louis |first1=Henry |title=A Handbook of Gold Milling |date=1894 |publisher=Macmillan |page=40 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bvUKAQAAIAAJ&dq=gold+phosphide+AuP&pg=PA40 |access-date=18 March 2024 |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Ganzenmuüller |first1=Wilhelm |last2=Gedschold |first2=Hermann |last3=Kotowski |first3=Alfons |last4=Gmelin |first4=Leopold |title=Gold: Lieferung 3 |date=1954 |publisher=Springer-Verlag |isbn=978-3-662-12700-1 |page=728 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F4B_BwAAQBAJ&dq=Gold+phosphide+AuP&pg=PA728 |access-date=8 April 2024 |language=de}} this hypothetical compound has not been verified by modern methods such as X-ray crystallography.
Preparation
Monoclinic {{chem2|Au2P3}} is produced by direct reaction between metallic gold and red phosphorus at high temperatures over multiple days. The reaction produced only {{chem2|Au2P3}}, with no other compounds observed across a wide variety of Au:P atom ratios.
Gold(III) phosphide was purportedly prepared by the direct reaction of spongy gold and phosphorus or by passing phosphine into a solution of auric chloride in ether or alcohol:{{cite book |last1=Ramsay |first1=William |title=A System of Inorganic Chemistry |date=1891 |publisher=J. & A. Churchill |page=557 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ix5DAAAAIAAJ&dq=gold+phosphide+AuP&pg=PA557 |access-date=18 March 2024 |language=en}}{{cite journal |last1=Cavazzi |first1=A. |title=Action of Phisphine on Auric Chloride |journal=Quarterly Journal of the Chemical Society of London |date=1885 |volume=48 |issue=2 |page=875 |access-date=8 April 2024|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VQXzAAAAMAAJ&dq=Gold+phosphide+AuP&pg=PA875}}{{cite book |last1=Roscoe |first1=Henry Enfield |last2=Schorlemmer |first2=Carl |title=A Treatise on Chemistry |date=1898 |publisher=D. Appleton |page=413 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l5U5AQAAMAAJ&dq=Gold+phosphide+AuP&pg=PA413 |access-date=8 April 2024 |language=en}}{{bettersource|date=March 2025}}
:{{chem2|AuCl3 + PH3 -> AuP + 3HCl}}
Properties
{{chem2|Au2P3}} is claimed to decompose in air or with {{chem2|H2O}}.{{cite book |last1=Comey |first1=Arthur Messenger |title=A Dictionary of Chemical Solubilities Inorganic: xx, 515 p |date=1896 |publisher=Macmillan & Company |page=174 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nZ8IAAAAMAAJ&dq=Gold+phosphide+AuP&pg=PA173 |access-date=8 April 2024 |language=en}}
It has a monoclinic crystal structure.
Related
A mixed anion phosphide iodide, {{chem2|Au7P10I}}, is known to possess a trigonal structure.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Phosphorus compounds}}
{{Gold compounds}}
{{Phosphides}}