Metal complexes in a constrained environment

Abstract

Intercalation of the gold thiourea (T) complex, AuT2+, into beidellite clay and aluminium pillared beidellite was studied by 197Au Mossbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. At a concentration close to the cation exchange capacity, the AuT2+ complexes are found to be oriented diagonal to the clay sheets, while at a much lower concentration and in the pillared beidellite they lie flat in the interlayer spacing. Thermal decomposition of the intercalated AuT2+ was studied at temperatures up to 400 °C.