Synthesis, structure, luminescence, and theoretical studies of tetranuclear gold clusters with phosphinocarborane ligands

A Face-to-Face Dimer of Au3 Superatoms Supported by Interlocked Tridentate Scaffolds Formed in Au18 S2 (SR)12

A new sulfur-containing gold cluster, Au₁₈ S₂ (STipb)₁₂ , was serendipitously obtained using the bulky thiol, 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzyl mercaptan (TipbSH), as protecting ligands. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that Au₁₈ S₂ (STipb)₁₂ has a deformed octahedral Au₆ core clutched by two tridentate S[Au₂ (STipb)₂ ]₃ units in an interlocked manner. Based on density functional theory calculations, we propose that the Au₆ core with two electrons is better viewed as a face-to-face dimer of Au₃ (1e) superatoms rather than an electronically closed Au₆ (2e) superatom. In situ formation of the sulfide anions (S^2- ) via C-S bond breakage is ascribed to the steric repulsion between the TipbS ligands.

Toward Controlling the Electronic Structures of Chemically Modified Superatoms of Gold and Silver

Atomically precise gold/silver clusters protected by organic ligands L, [(Au/Ag)_x L_y ]^z , have gained increasing interest as building units of functional materials because of their novel photophysical and physicochemical properties. The properties of [(Au/Ag)_x L_y ]^z are intimately associated with the quantized electronic structures of the metallic cores, which can be viewed as superatoms from the analogy of naked Au/Ag clusters. Thus, establishment of the correlation between the geometric and electronic structures of the superatomic cores is crucial for rational design and improvement of the properties of [(Au/Ag)_x L_y ]^z . This review article aims to provide a qualitative understanding on how the electronic structures of [(Au/Ag)_x L_y ]^z are affected by geometric structures of the superatomic cores with a focus on three factors: size, shape, and composition, on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The knowledge accumulated here will constitute a basis for the development of ligand-protected Au/Ag clusters as new artificial elements on a nanometer scale.

Polarized Supramolecular Aggregates Based on Luminescent Perhalogenated Gold Derivatives

The reaction of [Au(C₆F₅)(tht)] (tht = tetrahydrothiophene) with 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) and 3,7-diacetyl-1,3,7-triaza-5-phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (DAPTA) leads to the formation of [Au(C₆F₅)(phosph)] (phosph = PTA, 1; phosph = DAPTA, 2). The compounds are slightly soluble in water and aggregate at higher concentrations, giving rise to the formation of needle- and rodlike structures (1) and well-organized spherical aggregates (2). Compounds 1 and 2 were reacted with AgPF₆, giving rise to the formation in all cases of luminescent water-soluble 1:1 Au···Ag heterometallic complexes, as evidenced by X-ray crystal structure determination. The use of different silver salts that differ on the counterion induces changes in the resulting luminescence and aggregation morphology.

Prediction of nonradical Au(0)-containing precursors in nanoparticle growth processes

This density functional theory (DFT) investigation examines the formation of nonradical Au(0) species from the reduction of Au(I) species. The Au(I) complexes of interest are AuCl2(-), AuBr2(-), AuI2(-), AuClPH3, and AuCl(H)SCH3(-), which are precursors for gold nanoparticle and cluster formation. Reaction of two of the Au(I) species with a hydride results in ejection of two of the ligands and formation of Au2 with two ligands still attached. AuX2(-) (where X = Cl, Br, or I) reactions eject two halides and form Au2X2(2-). AuClL(-) (where L = PH3, HSCH3, or SCH3(-)) reactions can eject either chloride, HCl, PH3, HSCH3, or SCH3(-) and form Au(0)L2(q-) or Au(0)ClL(q-) (q = 0, 1, 2). The Au2Cl2(2-) complex can further react with AuCl2(-), which forms Au3Cl3(2-) and a chloride anion. The new Au3Cl3(2-) species can then react with AuCl2(-) or Au2Cl2(2-) or with another Au3Cl3(2-). Larger clusters can be formed from these precursors. In this work, reactions in both methanol and benzene solvents are considered as models for one-phase and two-phase gold nanoparticle growth processes. Overall, this investigation shows how Au(0)-containing species can be formed without assuming the formation of Au(0) atoms (radical species).

Luminescent di- and polynuclear organometallic gold(I)-metal (Au2, {Au2Ag}n and {Au2Cu}n) compounds containing bidentate phosphanes as active antimicrobial agents

The reaction of new dinuclear gold(I) organometallic complexes containing mesityl ligands and bridging bidentate phosphanes [Au(2)(mes)(2)(μ-LL)] (LL=dppe: 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphano)ethane 1a, and water-soluble dppy: 1,2-bis(di-3-pyridylphosphano)ethane 1b) with Ag(+) and Cu(+) lead to the formation of a family of heterometallic clusters with mesityl bridging ligands of the general formula [Au(2)M(μ-mes)(2) (μ-LL)][A] (M=Ag, A=ClO(4)(-), LL=dppe 2a, dppy 2b; M=Ag, A=SO(3)CF(3)(-), LL=dppe 3a, dppy 3b; M=Cu, A=PF(6)(-), LL=dppe 4a, dppy 4b). The new compounds were characterized by different spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometry The crystal structures of [Au(2)(mes)(2)(μ-dppy)] (1b) and [Au(2)Ag(μ-mes)(2)(μ-dppe)][SO(3)CF(3)] (3a) were determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. 3a in solid state is not a cyclic trinuclear Au(2)Ag derivative but it gives an open polymeric structure instead, with the {Au(2)(μ-dppe)} fragments "linked" by {Ag(μ-mes)(2)} units. The very short distances of 2.7559(6) Å (Au-Ag) and 2.9229(8) Å (Au-Au) are indicative of gold-silver (metallophilic) and aurophilic interactions. A systematic study of their luminescence properties revealed that all compounds are brightly luminescent in solid state, at room temperature (RT) and at 77 K, or in frozen DMSO solutions with lifetimes in the microsecond range and probably due to the self-aggregation of [Au(2)M(μ-mes)(2)(μ-LL)](+) units (M=Ag or Cu; LL=dppe or dppy) into an extended chain structure, through Au-Au and/or Au-M metallophilic interactions, as that observed for 3a. In solid state the heterometallic Au(2)M complexes with dppe (2a-4a) show a shift of emission maxima (from ca. 430 to the range of 520-540 nm) as compared to the parent dinuclear organometallic product 1a while the complexes with dppy (2b-4b) display a more moderate shift (505 for 1b to a max of 563 nm for 4b). More importantly, compound [Au(2)Ag(μ-mes)(2)(μ-dppy)]ClO(4) (2b) resulted luminescent in diluted DMSO solution at room temperature. Previously reported compound [Au(2)Cl(2)(μ-LL)] (LL dppy 5b) was also studied for comparative purposes. The antimicrobial activity of 1-5 and Ag[A] (A=ClO(4)(-), SO(3)CF(3)(-)) against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and yeast was evaluated. Most tested compounds displayed moderate to high antibacterial activity while heteronuclear Au(2)M derivatives with dppe (2a-4a) were the more active (minimum inhibitory concentration 10 to 1 μg mL(-1)). Compounds containing silver were ten times more active to gram-negative bacteria than the parent dinuclear compound 1a or silver salts. Au(2)Ag compounds with dppy (2b, 3b) were also potent against fungi.

Generation of luminescent noble metal nanodots in cell matrices

Cell matrices were used as rich libraries to screen proteins for the production of luminescent silver and gold nanodots. The study indicates that the proteins for silver and gold nanodot protection are quite different. The identification of such proteins in future may enrich the family of luminescent nanodots.

Synthesis of mono- and 1,3-disubstituted allenes from propargylic amines via palladium-catalysed hydride-transfer reaction

Mono- and 1,3-disubstituted allenes were synthesized from the corresponding propargylamines via palladium-catalysed hydride-transfer reaction. In the current transformation, propargylic amines can be handled as allenyl anion equivalents and introduced into various electrophiles to be transformed into allenes under palladium-catalyzed conditions.

Dual fluorescence from an isonido ReIII rhenacarborane phosphine complex, [7,10-mu-H-7-CO-7,7-(PPh3)2-isonido-7,8,9-ReC2B7H9]

The complex [7,10-mu-H-7-CO-7,7-(PPh3)2-isonido-7,8,9-ReC2B7H9] has been synthesized by treatment of the complex salt [NHMe3][3,3-Cl2-3,3-(CO)2-closo-3,1,2-ReC2B9H11] with PPh3 in refluxing THF (tetrahydrofuran) and isolated as intensely colored orange-red microcrystals. Spectroscopic NMR and IR data have suggested that the product has a highly asymmetric structure with two inequivalent PPh3 ligands and a single CO ligand. Measurement of 11B NMR spectra in particular have indicated seven distinct boron vertexes, although the resulting cage degradation by removal of two BH vertexes was confirmed only following X-ray crystallographic analysis, which revealed the pentadecahedral isonido-7,8,9-ReC2B7 architecture. The 11B NMR resonances span an enormous chemical shift range (Deltadelta = 113), and this appears to be a direct consequence of the deshielding of the boron vertex directly opposite the quadrilateral |ReCCB| aperture. The new complex has been shown by electrochemical measurements to undergo a reversible one-electron oxidation. Digitally simulated cyclic voltammograms support a proposed square scheme (E(1/2) = 0.58, 0.69 V vs ferrocene) involving a reversible isonido-closo transition of the metallacarborane cage. Most unusually for a metallacarborane complex, ambient temperature solutions in CH2Cl2 and DMF have been shown to be intensely turquoise-blue fluorescent (lambda(em) = 442 nm, Phi = 0.012). Fluorescence spectroscopy measurements in MeTHF (2-methyltetrahydrofuran) glass at 77 K have indicated that the likely cause of such a broad emission is dual fluorescence (lambda(em) = 404, 505 nm), with both emissions displaying vibronic structure. Following excited-state lifetime decay analysis, the emissive behavior has been accredited to metal-perturbed 1IL states, with the lower energy emission arising from a slight geometric distortion of the initially excited complex.

1,2-Bis(diphenylphosphino)carborane As a Dual Mode Ligand for Both the Sonogashira Coupling and Hydride-Transfer Steps in Palladium-Catalyzed One-Pot Synthesis of Allenes from Aryl Iodides

[reaction: see text] One-pot allene synthesis from aryl iodides 1 and propargyldicyclohexylamine 2 proceeded in the presence of Pd(2)(dba)(3).CHCl(3) catalyst (2.5 mol %), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)carborane 5 (10 mol %), CuI (15 mol %), and Et(3)N (150 mol %) to give the corresponding allenes 4 in good to high yields. Electron-deficient bidentate phosphines, such as 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)carborane 5 and (C(6)F(5))(2)PC(2)H(4)P(C(6)F(5))(2), play the role of a dual mode ligand for both the Sonogashira coupling and hydride-transfer reactions.

Luminescent nido-carborane-diphosphine anions [(PR2)2C2B9H10](-) (R = Ph, (i)Pr). Modification of their luminescence properties upon formation of three-coordinate gold(I) complexes

The free nido-diphosphine anions [(PR(2))(2)C(2)B(9)H(10)](-) (R = Ph, (i)Pr) show luminescence properties whereas the closo-diphosphines [(PR(2))(2)C(2)B(10)H(10)] do not. Four families of three-coordinate complexes of stoichiometry [Au[(PR(2))(2)C(2)B(10)H(10)]L]OTf (L = tertiary phosphine) and [Au[(PR(2))(2)C(2)B(9)H(10)]L] have been studied in order to analyze the influence of the closo- or nido-nature of the diphosphine, the monophosphine coordinated to gold and the substituent at the diphosphine on the luminescence of the complexes. Only the nido-derivatives show luminescence. The maxima of the emissions are shifted to lower energies than those of the corresponding free nido-diphosphines. When the substituent at the diphosphine is phenyl, a new emission appears, which has been assigned as arising from a metal to ligand charge transfer [Au-->pi(L)] excited state.