Sodium-Naphthalenide-Driven Synthesis of Base-Metal Nanoparticles and Follow-up Reactions

Mo(0), W(0), Fe(0), Ru(0), Re(0), and Zn(0) nanoparticles—essentially base metals—are prepared as a general strategy by a sodium naphthalenide ([NaNaph])-driven reduction of simple metal chlorides in ethers (1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), tetrahydrofuran (THF)). All the nanoparticles have diameters ≤10 nm, and they can be obtained either as powder samples or long-term stable suspensions. Direct follow-up reactions (e.g., Mo(0)+S8, FeCl3+AsCl3, ReCl5+MoCl5), moreover, allow the preparation of MoS2, FeAs2, or Re4Mo nanoparticles of similar size as the pristine metals (≤10 nm).