Work

First Evidence of Au‐CH 3 Bonding in Superatomic Au 13 Clusters

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Chemical reduction of a dinuclear [(di‐NHC)Au 2 Cl 2 (di‐NHC)] complex (NHC=imidazol‐2‐ylidene), using excess NaBH 4 as reducing agent in presence of dichloromethane (DCM) as solvent, provides a molecular cluster with formula [Au 13 (di‐NHC) 5 (CH 3 ) 2 ]Cl 3 , exhibiting covalent bonds between gold atoms of the cluster core and methyl groups. The presence of Au‐CH 3 bonds, which is unprecedented in gold cluster chemistry, is confirmed by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), NMR and the reactivity of the reported cluster in solid state. The cluster has been further characterized with single crystal X‐ray diffractometry, UV‐Vis and emission spectroscopies. The cluster displays remarkable stability in solution, which is indicative of the possible role played by Au‐CH 3 bond formation in the conventional preparation of molecular gold nanoclusters by reduction with excess borohydride in DCM.

Source: European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry

DOI: 10.1002/ejic.202400351

Authors: Matteo Bevilacqua, Marco Roverso, Sara Bogialli, Claudia Graiff, Andrea Biffis

Institutions: University of Padua, University of Parma

Language: English

Topic: Nanocluster Synthesis and Applications

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,860

Funder: Università degli Studi di Padova