Gold chalcogenides are compounds formed between gold and one of the chalcogens, elements from group 16 of the periodic table: oxygen, sulfur, selenium or tellurium.
- Gold(III) oxide, Au2O3. decomposes into gold and oxygen above 160 °C. dissolves in concentrated alkalis to form solutions which probably contain the [Au(OH)4− ion
- Gold(I) sulfide, Au2S. formed by passing hydrogen sulfide through solutions of gold(I) compounds
- Gold(III) sulfide, Au2S3. unstable in the presence of water
- Gold tellurides: Au2Te3, Au3Te5 and AuTe2 are known as non-stoichiometric compounds. they show metallic conductivity. Au3Te5 is a superconductor at very low temperatures.
Natural gold tellurides, like calaverite AuTe2 and sylvanite AgAuTe4, are minor ores of gold (and tellurium).
References
Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, A. (1997). Chemistry of the Elements, 2nd Edition, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-3365-4.
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