Interaction between iodonium and silver cation demonstrated for the primary time

An worldwide analysis crew led by Professor Kari Rissanen of the University of Jyvaskyla (Finland) and Professor Antonio Frontera of the University of Balearic Islands (Spain) has demonstrated that positively charged iodine (termed iodonium) is ready to favorably work together with a silver cation (Ag⁺), overcoming the sturdy electrostatic repulsion. The analysis was revealed on-line in Chem journal February 8, 2021.

It is well-known and intuitive that iodide (I^–) has a robust affinity for Ag⁺. For occasion, AgI is likely one of the most insoluble inorganic salts because of the energy of their engaging electrostatic drive. In reality, it’s used to generate synthetic rain (cloud seeding) as a result of the crystalline construction of AgI is just like that of ice (best nucleation agent).

However, the sturdy and counter-intuitive affinity of iodonium (I⁺) for Ag⁺ was not recognized till now. An worldwide analysis group have succeeded in getting ready and characterizing a supramolecular complicated the place I⁺ and Ag⁺ are in shut contact, thus overcoming the intrinsic electrostatic repulsion of their optimistic costs. Remarkably, the I⁺···Ag⁺ interplay was demonstrated each within the solid state and in answer.

“The explanation provided is that the iodine atom, even as a positively charged cation, is able to generously donate electrons from its free electron lone pairs to the Ag⁺. Therefore, no matter the electronic nature of iodine, rich or poor, it seems its generosity toward the Ag⁺ is boundless,” says Professor Kari Rissanen from University of Jyvaskyla.