Stability and reactivity of gold compounds – From fundamental aspects to applications

Abstract

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. This review summarizes the chemistry of gold(0/I/II/III) compounds and outlines progress made towards obtaining more stable coordination compounds in order to improve their application in industry and the medicinal treatment of several diseases. Special attention is given to the kinetic reactivity and thermodynamic stability of such compounds, and to their mechanisms of interaction with biological relevant molecules. Also highlighted in this paper is the rich chemistry of coordinating ligands which play a key role in the stability and reactivity of gold(I/III) complexes.