An X-ray absorption fine structure study of copper(I) chloride coordination structure in water up to 325°C

Abstract

X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy was used to measure the Cl − and H 2O coordination structure about Cu 1+ in water at temperatures up to 325°C including the coordination numbers, symmetry, distances and the amount of bond disorder. The linear dichloro Cu 1+ species, [CuCl 2] −, is especially stable and it is predominant from 100°C to 325°C in the presence of excess Cl −. Even for solutions with 2.0 m NaCl, only the dichloro Cu 1+ species is observed with no evidence of higher Cl − coordination. There is no evidence of hydration waters in the first-solvation shell of this dichloro-species.