Electronic absorption and MCD spectra for Pd(AuPPh3)sub8sup2+, Pt(AuPPh3)sub8sup2+, and related platinum-centered gold cluster complexes

The electronic absorption and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) of Pd(AuPPh3)sub8sup2+ and Pt(AuPPh3)sub8sup2+ in acetonitrile solutions were analyzed at room temperature. The platinum-centered gold cluster complexes exhibited low-energy MCD spectral changes during the substitution of the Pt atom for Pd or Au due to the presence of Pt-Au transitions. Furthermore, the relative orbital energies of the Pt(AuP(p-tolyl3)sub8)sup2+ complex was not affected by the additional electron density from the phosphine.