Heteroatom-Doping Increases Cluster Nuclearity From an [Ag-20] to an [Au3Ag18] Core

Wan-Ting Chang (1) , Sachil Sharma (1) , Jian-Hong Liao (1) , Samia Kahlal (2) , Yu-Chiao Liu , Ming-Hsi Chiang , Jean-Yves Saillard (2) , C. W. Liu (1)

1 NDHU - National Dong Hwa University
2 ISCR - Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes

A templated galvanic exchange performed on [Ag {Se P(OiPr) } ] of C symmetry with three equiv Au yields a mixture of [Au Ag {Se P(OiPr) } ] (x=0-2) from which [Au@Ag {Se P(OiPr) } ] and [Au@Au Ag {Se P(OiPr) } ] are successfully characterized to have T and C symmetry, respectively. Crystal structural analyses combined with DFT calculations on the model compounds explicitly demonstrate that the central Ag of Ag being oxidized by Au migrates to the protecting atomic shell as a new capping Ag , and both second and third Au dopants prefer occupying non-adjacent icosahedron vertices. The differences in symmetry, T and C , are manifested in the spatial orientation of their protecting atomic shell composed of eight capping Ag atoms as well as re-construction upon the replacement of Ag atoms on the vertices of AuAg icosahedral core with second and third Au dopants. As a result, a unique pathway for substitutional-doped clusters with increased nuclearity is proposed.

Mots clés: galvanic replacement; gold; silver; substitutional doping; superatom

Domaines: Chimie inorganique

Wan-Ting Chang, Sachil Sharma, Jian-Hong Liao, Samia Kahlal, Yu-Chiao Liu, et al.. Heteroatom-Doping Increases Cluster Nuclearity From an [Ag-20] to an [Au3Ag18] Core. Chemistry - A European Journal, 2018, 24 (54), pp.14352-14357. ⟨10.1002/chem.201802679⟩. ⟨hal-01902032⟩