Angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic experiments on the full series of molecular [Au55(PR3)12Cl6] clusters

Abstract

Core and valence spectra have been measured in a series of angle-resolved high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic experiments on the molecular metal cluster compounds [Au₅₅(PR₃)₁₂Cl₆] with R₃= Ph₂(C₆H₄SO₃Na-m), (C₆H₄Me-p)₃, (C₆H₄OMe-p)₃ or Ph₃ which represent all such compounds synthesized to date. Only a limited number of samples satisfies the nominal composition. In some of the samples the presence of gold particles, larger than the nominal Au₅₅ clusters, is observed. Gold monomers bound to P and Cl are shown to be present in a number of samples.