A cleavage of the S-C bond in 2-aminothiophenal

One-, Two-, and Three-Dimensional Self-Assembly of Atomically Precise Metal Nanoclusters

Metal nanoclusters (NCs), which consist of several, to about one hundred, metal atoms, have attracted much attention as functional nanomaterials for use in nanotechnology. Because of their fine particle size, metal NCs exhibit physical/chemical properties and functions different from those of the corresponding bulk metal. In recent years, many techniques to precisely synthesize metal NCs have been developed. However, to apply these metal NCs in devices and as next-generation materials, it is necessary to assemble metal NCs to a size that is easy to handle. Recently, multiple techniques have been developed to form one-, two-, and three-dimensional connected structures (CSs) of metal NCs through self-assembly. Further progress of these techniques will promote the development of nanomaterials that take advantage of the characteristics of metal NCs. This review summarizes previous research on the CSs of metal NCs. We hope that this review will allow readers to obtain a general understanding of the formation and functions of CSs and that the obtained knowledge will help to establish clear design guidelines for fabricating new CSs with desired functions in the future.

A disulfur ligand stabilization approach to construct a silver(i)-cluster-based porous framework as a sensitive SERS substrate

An atomically-precise silver(i)-cluster-based three-dimensional (3D) framework (UJN-1) stabilized by a ditiocarb (diethyldithiocarbamate) ligand has been unveiled for the first time by self-assembly. UJN-1 is composed of both Ag₉ clusters and Ag₅ subunits, of which the Ag₉ clusters are bonded with Ag₅ subunits by sharing the ditiocarb ligand to form a microporous 3,4-connected topological framework. The chemically reduced nano-sized derivative of UJN-1 exhibits highly sensitive surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) towards 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) signal molecules, which is ascribed to the porosity as well as the distribution of abundant crystalline Ag⁰ active sites. This work sheds light on a new bottom-up approach to construct SERS-active silver(i)-cluster-based 3D materials by disulfur ligand stabilization.

Anionic heptadecanuclear silver(I) cluster constructed from in situ generated 2-mercaptobenzoic acid and a sulfide anion

A novel anionic heptadecanuclear silver(I) cluster, (NH(4))(17)[(μ(6)-S)@Ag(17)(mba)(16)]·22H(2)O (1; H(2)mba = 2-mercaptobenzoic acid), was obtained by the reaction of equivalent molar silver oxide and 2,2'-dithiodibenzoic acid (H(2)dtba) under ultrasonic conditions at 50 °C. Complex 1 is a discrete cluster comprised of unexpected mba ligands on the shell and a μ(6)-S(2-) ion in the core, suggesting the occurrence of in situ S-S and S-C(sp(2)) bond cleavages of the H(2)dtba ligand. This novel cluster displays moderate orange-red emission in the solid state at room temperature.

Selenium-Centered, Undecanuclear Silver Cages Surrounded by Iodo and Dialkyldiselenophosphato Ligands. Syntheses, Structures, and Photophysical Properties

Three clusters [Ag11(mu9-Se)(mu3-I)3{Se2P(OR)2}6] (R = Et, 1; iPr, 2; 2Bu, 3) were isolated from the reaction of [Ag(CH3CN)4](PF6), NH4[Se2P(OR)2], and Bu4NI in a molar ratio of 4:3:1 in CH2Cl2 in 47-55% yield. Compounds 1 and 2 can also be synthesized with high yield from the reaction of Ag10(Se)[Se2P(OR)2]8 with 8 equiv of Bu4NI. In the positive fast atom bombardment mass spectra of 1-3, two major peaks that correspond to the intact molecule with the loss of an iodide ion, [Ag11(mu9-Se)(mu3-I)(2){Se2P(OR)2}6]+, and a diselenophosphate ligand, [Ag11(mu9-Se)(mu3-I)3{Se2P(OR)2}5]+, were identified. Single-crystal X-ray analyses of 2 and 3 reveal an Ag11Se core stabilized by three iodide anions and six diselenophosphato ligands in a tetrametallic tetraconnective (mu2,mu2) coordination mode. The central core adopts the geometry of a 3,3,4,4,4-pentacapped trigonal prism with a selenium atom in the center. In addition, weak intermolecular Se...I interactions exist in 2 and form a one-dimensional polymeric chain structure. Furthermore, all compounds exhibit orange-red luminescence in both the solid state and solution.

A Nonacoordinated Bridging Selenide in a Tricapped Trigonal Prismatic Geometry Identified in Undecanuclear Copper Clusters: Syntheses, Structures, and DFT Calculations

Undecanuclear copper clusters, [Cu(11)(micro(9)-Se)(micro(3)-Br)(3)[Se(2)P(OR)(2)](6)] (R = Et, Pr, (i)Pr) (1a-c), were isolated along with closed-shell ion-centered cubes, [Cu(8)(micro(8)-Br)[Se(2)P(OR)(2)](6)] (PF(6)) (2a-c) and [Cu(8)(micro(8)-Se)[Se(2)P(OR)(2)](6)] (3a-c), from the reaction of [Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)](PF(6)), NH(4)[Se(2)P(OR)(2)], and Bu(4)NBr in a molar ratio of 2:3:2 in CH(2)Br(2). The molecular formulations of these clusters were confirmed by elemental analysis, positive FAB mass spectrometry, and multinuclear NMR ((1)H, (31)P, and (77)Se). (77)Se NMR spectra of Cu(11) clusters (1a-c) are of special interest as two inequivalent selenium nuclei of the diselenophosphate (dsep) ligand exhibit different scalar coupling patterns with the adjacent phosphorus nuclei. X-ray analysis of 1c reveals a Cu(11)Se core stabilized by three bromide and six dsep ligands. The central core adopts the geometry of a 3,3,4,4,4-pentacapped trigonal prism with a selenium atom in the center. The coordination geometry for the nonacoordinate selenium atom is tricapped trigonal prismatic. The X-ray structure 2a or 2c consists of a cationic cluster in which eight copper ions are linked by six diselenophosphate ligands with a central micro(8)-Br ion. The shape of the molecule is a bromide-centered distorted Cu(8) cube. Each diselenophosphate ligand occupies square faces of the cube and adopts a tetrametallic tetraconnective coordination pattern. Each copper atom of the cube is coordinated by three selenium atoms with a strong interaction with the central bromide ion. Molecular orbital calculations at the B3LYP level of the density functional theory have been carried out to study the Cu-micro(9)-Se interactions for clusters [Cu(11)(micro(9)-Se)(micro(3)-X)(3)[Se(2)P(OR)(2)](6)] (X = Br, I). Calculations show that the formal bond order of each Cu-micro(9)-Se bond is slightly smaller than half of those calculated for the terminal Cu-micro(2)-Se bonds.