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Au147(SPh)30(PPh3)12: A Geometrically Closed, but Electronically Open Triple-Shell Icosahedral Gold Cluster and its
Markus Strienz1, Andrei Poddelskii1, Bridget K Moll2
1Institut für Anorganische Chemie, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|April 21, 2025
Summary
Researchers synthesized the first triple-shell icosahedral gold cluster, Au147, bridging a gap in cluster sizes. This discovery offers new insights into the structure and synthesis of metal clusters.
Area of Science:
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Platonic solids and their presence in chemical compounds are well-established.
- Icosahedral gold nanoparticles and sub-nanometer clusters are known, but intermediate sizes were elusive.
- The synthesis of multi-shell icosahedral gold clusters remained a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize the first triple-shell icosahedral gold cluster.
- To investigate the structural and electronic properties of this novel cluster.
- To explore the stabilization mechanisms and potential for related structures.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of gold clusters using phosphine and thiolate ligands.
- Crystallographic characterization to determine atomic structure.
- Experimental techniques including EDX, UV/vis, DLS, and EPR.
- Theoretical analysis using quantum chemical calculations.
Main Results:
- Successful synthesis and characterization of the triple-shell icosahedral gold cluster, Au147(SPh)30(PPh3)12.
- Identification of a second, related cluster, Au146(SPh)30(PPh3)12, with a closed electronic shell.
- Absence of typical staple motifs, indicating unique stabilization by ligands.
- Detailed structural and electronic properties confirmed through experimental and theoretical studies.
Conclusions:
- The study presents the first triple-shell icosahedral gold cluster, expanding the known size range of such structures.
- The findings challenge existing models of cluster stabilization and ligand interactions.
- This work opens new avenues for designing and synthesizing complex metal nanostructures with tailored properties.
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