Silver(i) nanoclusters of carbazole-1,8-bis(acetylide): from visible to near-infrared emission

Abstract

A feasible synthetic approach to achieve Ag₈, Ag₁₆ and Ag₂₉ silver(I) nanoclusters is reported by the use of 1,8-diethynyl-9H-carbazole (H₃decz) as a directing ligand. The silver(I) nanoclusters exhibit room-temperature photoluminescence in both solution and solid state. The emission band shows stepwise red-shifts from visible to near-infrared region with the increase of cluster nuclearity following 2 (Ag₈, λ_em = 571 nm) → 3 (Ag₁₆, λ_em = 651 nm) → 4 (Ag₂₉, λ_em = 916 and 875sh nm) in fluid CH₂Cl₂.