A combined gas-phase photoelectron spectroscopic and theoretical study of Zeise's anion and its bromine and iodine analogues.

Shining light on Zeise: In a study of Zeise's anion, [PtCl(3)(C(2)H(4))](-), and its bromine and iodine analogues, electronic structure information for each species, derived from spectral features, is assigned through calculations at the coupled cluster level of theory. The calculations indicate that the electron binding energies decrease with halogen size and that there is a synergistic η(2) interaction between C(2)H(4) and the PtX(3)(-) anions.