AuCl
Gold(I) chloride · Aurous chloride
Gold(I) chloride is a stable, semiconducting inorganic compound primarily used as a precursor for synthesizing complex gold-based chemical materials.

About Gold(I) chloride
Gold(I) chloride is a binary inorganic compound that exists as a thermodynamically stable phase. Its electronic character as a semiconductor makes it a subject of interest for researchers investigating the fundamental behavior of noble metal halides. The compound is well-documented in structural databases, reflecting its significance in solid-state chemistry.
Beyond its structural stability, this material serves as an essential building block in gold chemistry. It is frequently employed as a starting point for the synthesis of various gold complexes, which are vital for catalytic processes and the development of specialized materials in modern chemical engineering.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Gold(I) chloride, aggregated across 4 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Applications
Where Gold(I) chloride is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Gold(I) chloride, answered from cross-validated data.
What is AuCl?
Gold(I) chloride is a stable, semiconducting inorganic compound primarily used as a precursor for synthesizing complex gold-based chemical materials.
What is AuCl used for?
What is the band gap of AuCl?
Is AuCl a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is AuCl thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of AuCl are known?
What elements does AuCl contain?
Where does the data for AuCl come from?
How It Compares
As a primary gold halide, gold(I) chloride occupies a central position in the chemistry of noble metal compounds, serving as a foundational reference point for understanding the bonding and reactivity of gold in its lower oxidation state.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
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