Issue 14, 2012

Ligand symmetry-equivalence on thiolate protected gold nanoclusters determined by NMR spectroscopy

Abstract

The Au144(SR)60 nanocluster has been a subject of structural conjecture since its initial description over a decade ago as a 29 kDa compound, yet a decisive empirical structure is elusive. Herein we show that 1H NMR spectroscopy can provide a detailed view of ligand-layer equivalence for thiolate protected gold nanoclusters. We show that Au25(SR)18, Au38(SR)24 and Au102(SR)44 nanoclusters have 1H NMR spectra where the number of distinct chemical environments for the R-groups is equivalent to the number of symmetry environments of the sulfur headgroups, which anchor each ligand. We also show that the Au144(SR)601H NMR spectrum is consistent with a previously published DFT-derived structural model for Au144(SR)60. We suggest that this analysis may be extended to other structurally obscure nanoclusters, such as a ∼59 kDa compound for which we observe up to four symmetry environments.

Graphical abstract: Ligand symmetry-equivalence on thiolate protected gold nanoclusters determined by NMR spectroscopy

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
02 Feb 2012
Accepted
01 Apr 2012
First published
18 Apr 2012

Nanoscale, 2012,4, 4099-4102

Ligand symmetry-equivalence on thiolate protected gold nanoclusters determined by NMR spectroscopy

O. A. Wong, C. L. Heinecke, A. R. Simone, R. L. Whetten and C. J. Ackerson, Nanoscale, 2012, 4, 4099 DOI: 10.1039/C2NR30259D

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