Since the metal center in gold complexes usually displays acid character, AuÁ Á ÁNM contacts will be more easily formed as the basicity of the non-metal increases. Thus, there are many goldÁ Á Áhalogen weak interactions between cationic gold complexes and halides or anions of which the halogen forms part, but most are individual contacts between ions that do not generate supramolecular structures. For example, about 50% of AuÁ Á ÁCl contacts are isolated cationÁ Á Áanion interactions.Nevertheless, in some cases, cationÁ Á Áanion contacts give rise to extended structures, as in both the colorless and the yellow polymorph of [Au(C:NC 6 H 11 ) 2 ][PF 6 ] [13], where the gold cations aggregate via aurophilic contacts into infinite linear chains, which are further connected through AuÁ Á ÁF contacts to afford two-dimensional 296j 5 Supramolecular Architecture by Secondary Bonds adjacent molecules, 3.695(1) Å, is slightly longer than the sum of the van der Waals radii.Apart from these types of associations observed in certain neutral gold(I) products, one-dimensional polymers can be formed by AuÁ Á ÁCl interactions between ions, which are more often found when the gold(III) anion [AuCl 4 ] À is present, as occurs, for example, in [EMIM][AuCl 4 ] and [BMIM][AuCl 4 ] ([EMIM]þ ¼ 1-ethyl-3methylimidazolium, [BMIM]þ ¼ 1-(n-butyl)-3-methylimidazolium) [17]. Both salts are very similar in the solid state with each ion surrounded by eight counterions in a cubic fashion and containing two crystallographically independent [AuCl 4 ] À anions arranged perpendicularly to one another and connected by AuÁ Á ÁCl contacts. This results in infinite anionic chains of alternating corner-to-face arranged [AuCl 4 ] À units (Figure 5.5), a unique pattern in salts containing purely tetrachloroaurate(III) anions. The interionic AuÁ Á ÁCl distances in the EMIM and BMIM derivatives are 3.356(3) and 3.452(3) Å, respectively, the latter very close to the sum of the van der Waals radii of gold and chlorine (3.41 Å). In the mixed-valent compound [Au(terpy)Cl] 2 [AuCl 2 ] 3 [AuCl 4 ] [18], an infinite chain of gold containing anions and cations is generated through two types of weak interactions: aurophilic contacts, which result in pentanuclear units, and AuÁ Á ÁCl interactions ( Figure 5.6). Three [AuC1 2 ] À anions, arranged in a spiral, bridge two [Au(terpy)C1] 2þ cations through long axial contacts. The remaining axial site of the [Au(terpy)Cl] 2þ cation is occupied by a chlorine atom from a square-planar [AuC1 4 ] À anion at distance of 3.401(4) Å, resulting in a polymeric Á Á ÁCl-Au III -ClÁ Á ÁAu III Á Á ÁAu I Á Á ÁAu I Á Á ÁAu I Á Á ÁAu III Á Á ÁCl-Au III -ClÁ Á Á chain.A more complicated extended structure is present in [Au(HDMG) 2 ][AuCl 4 ] (H 2 DMG¼dimethylglyoxime, HON¼C(Me)C(Me)¼NOH) [19], where onedimensional polymers are formed via interionic AuÁ Á ÁCl contacts of 3.323(4) and Figure 5.5