Synthesis, structural characterization and transformation of an eight-electron superatomic alloy, [Au@Ag19{S2P(OPr)2}12]

Controlling the metal nanoclusters with atomic precision is highly difficult and further studies on their transformation reactions are even more challenging. Herein we report the controlled formation of a silver alloy nanocluster [AuAg19{S2P(OnPr)2}12] (1) from an Ag20 template via a galvanic exchange route. X-ray structural analysis reveals that the alloy structure comprises of a gold-centered Ag12 icosahedron, Au@Ag12, capped by seven silver atoms. Interestingly upon reacting with one equiv. of silver(i) salt, (1) can transform into a higher nuclearity nanocluster, [Au@Ag20{S2P(OnPr)2}12]+ (2). The conversion process is studied via ESI mass spectrometry and 31P NMR spectroscopy. This kind of size-structural transformation at the single atom level is quite remarkable. Furthermore, the compositions of all the doped nanoclusters (1, 2) were fully characterized with ESI-MS and EDS. The blue shift depicted in the UV-visible and emission spectra of the doped nanoclusters (1, 2) compared with the precursor, Ag20, demonstrates that the doping atoms have significant effects on the electronic structures.