Selective isolation of gold facilitated by second-sphere coordination with α-cyclodextrin

Zhichang Liu, Marco Frasconi, Juying Lei, Zachary J. Brown, Zhixue Zhu, Dennis Cao, Julien Iehl, Guoliang Liu, Albert C. Fahrenbach, Youssry Y. Botros, Omar K. Farha, Joseph T. Hupp, Chad A. Mirkin and J. Fraser Stoddart ()
Additional contact information
Zhichang Liu: Northwestern University
Marco Frasconi: Northwestern University
Juying Lei: Northwestern University
Zachary J. Brown: Northwestern University
Zhixue Zhu: Northwestern University
Dennis Cao: Northwestern University
Julien Iehl: Northwestern University
Guoliang Liu: Northwestern University
Albert C. Fahrenbach: Northwestern University
Youssry Y. Botros: Northwestern University
Omar K. Farha: Northwestern University
Joseph T. Hupp: Northwestern University
Chad A. Mirkin: Northwestern University
J. Fraser Stoddart: Northwestern University

Nature Communications, 2013, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Gold recovery using environmentally benign chemistry is imperative from an environmental perspective. Here we report the spontaneous assembly of a one-dimensional supramolecular complex with an extended {[K(OH2)6][AuBr4] (α-cyclodextrin)2}n chain superstructure formed during the rapid co-precipitation of α-cyclodextrin and KAuBr4 in water. This phase change is selective for this gold salt, even in the presence of other square-planar palladium and platinum complexes. From single-crystal X-ray analyses of six inclusion complexes between α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins with KAuBr4 and KAuCl4, we hypothesize that a perfect match in molecular recognition between α-cyclodextrin and [AuBr4]− leads to a near-axial orientation of the ion with respect to the α-cyclodextrin channel, which facilitates a highly specific second-sphere coordination involving [AuBr4]− and [K(OH2)6]+ and drives the co-precipitation of the 1:2 adduct. This discovery heralds a green host–guest procedure for gold recovery from gold-bearing raw materials making use of α-cyclodextrin—an inexpensive and environmentally benign carbohydrate.

Date: 2013
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2891

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