Ligand-Stabilized Au13Cux (x=2, 4, 8) Bimetallic Nanoclusters: Ligand Engineering to Control the Exposure of Metal Sites

通讯作者地址: Zheng, NF (通讯作者) Xiamen Univ, Collaborat Innovat Ctr Chem Energy Mat, State Key Lab Phys Chem Solid Surfaces, Xiamen 361005, Peoples R China.Three novel bimetallic Au-Cu nanoclusters stabilized by a mixed layer of thiolate and phosphine ligands bearing pyridyl groups are synthesized and fully characterized by X-ray single crystal analysis and density functional theory computations. The three clusters have an icosahedral Au-13 core face-capped by two, four, and eight Cu atoms, respectively. All face-capping Cu atoms in the clusters are triply coordinated by thiolate or pyridyl groups. The surface ligands control the exposure of Au sites in the clusters. In the case of the Au13Cu8 cluster, the presence of 12 2-pyridylthiolate ligands still leaves open space for catalysis. All the 3 clusters are 8-electron superatoms displaying optical gaps of 1.8-1.9 eV. The thermal decomposition studies suggest that the selective release of organic ligands from the clusters is possible.MOST of China 2011CB932403 ,2011CB201301 ,2009CB930703 , NSFC 21227001 ,21131005 ,21021061 ,20925103 ,20923004 , Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities 201012104