Search results for "cluster transformation"

Solubility-Driven Isolation of a Metastable Nonagold Cluster with Body-Centered Cubic Structure.

2020

The conventional synthetic methodology of atomically precise gold nanoclusters using reduction in solutions offers only thermodynamically most stable nanoclusters. We report herein a solubility‐driven isolation strategy to access the synthesis of a metastable gold cluster. The cluster, with the composition of [Au 9 (PPh 3 ) 8 ] + ( 1 ), displays an unusual, nearly perfect body‐centered‐cubic (bcc) structure. As revealed by ESI‐MS and UV/Vis measurement, the cluster is metastable in solution and converts to the well‐known [Au 11 (PPh 3 ) 8 Cl 2 ] + ( 2 ) within just 90 min. DFT calculations revealed that while both 1 and 2 are eight‐electron superatoms, there is a driving force to convert 1 …