Cadmium(I) tetrachloroaluminate explained

Cadmium(I) tetrachloroaluminate is the inorganic compound with the formula, a tetrachloroaluminate of cadmium(I). It was the first compound reported (1961) that contained cadmium in the +1 oxidation state and features a cadmium - cadmium bond.

Preparation and properties

was originally prepared by dissolving Cd metal in molten followed by the addition of .^[1]

Subsequent studies of the Raman vibrational spectrum indicated the presence of a cadmium - cadmium bond,^[2] which was confirmed by two separate X-ray diffraction studies of single crystals.^{[3] [4]} The compound can therefore be compared to mercury(I) (mercurous) compounds (such as mercury(I) chloride), which contain . The single bonds are part of ethane-like units sharing vertices with units, with a bond length reported as 257.6 pm or 256.1pm.

is diamagnetic. It contains no unpaired electrons and reacts readily with water disproportionating to give Cd metal and .

Notes and References

1. Corbett. J. D.. Burkhard. W. J.. Druding. L. F.. January 1961. Stabilization of the Cadmium(I) Oxidation State. The System Cd-Cd(AlCl) - Cd(AlCl). Journal of the American Chemical Society. 83. 1. 76–80. 10.1021/ja01462a016.
2. Corbett. J. D.. Aug 1962. The Cadmium(I) Ion Cd. Raman Spectrum and Relationship to Hg. Inorganic Chemistry. 1. 3. 700–703. 10.1021/ic50003a051.
3. Faggiani. R.. Ronald J. Gillespie. John E. Vekris. 1986. The cadmium(I) ion, Cd; X-ray crystal structure of . Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications. 1986. 7. 517–518. 10.1039/C39860000517.
4. Staffel. T.. Dr. Gerd Meyer. 1987. Synthesis and crystal structures of and . Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie. 548. 5. 45–54. 10.1002/zaac.19875480505.