title: The formation of high-order polybromides in a room-temperature ionic liquid: from monoanions ([Br5 ](-) to [Br11 ](-) ) to the isolation of [PC16 H36 ]2 [Br24 ] as determined by van der Waals Bonding Radii.
abstract: An unprecedented diversity of high-order bromine catenates (anionic polybromides) was generated in a tetraalkylphosphonium-based room temperature ionic liquid system. Raman spectroscopy was used to identify polybromide monoanions ranging from [Br5 ](-) to [Br11 ](-) in the bulk solution, while single-crystal X-ray diffraction identified extended networks of linked [Br11 ](-) units, forming a previously unknown polymeric [Br24 ](2-) dianion. This represents the largest polybromide species identified to date. In combination with recent work, this suggests that other, higher order molecular polybromide ions might be isolated.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry F11, University of Sydney (Australia).
authors.forename: Max E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Easton
authors.forename: Antony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Toby
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Anthony F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Masters
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maschmeyer
keywords: Raman spectroscopy; X-ray crystallography; bromine; ionic liquids; polybromide anions