Phosphine-stabilized gold clusters

This section is divided into two main subsections. The first describes the synthesis and characterization of phosphine-stabilized gold clusters. The second focuses on the synthesis and characterization of thiol-stabilized gold clusters and the study of other stabilizers such as arsines or boranes are described. 

C. C. Chusuei, X. Lai, K. A. Davis, E. K. Bowers, J. P. Fackler, D. W. Goodman, A nanoscale model catalyst preparation Solution deposition of phosphine-stabilized gold clusters onto a planar TiO2(110) Support, Langmuir 17 (2001) 4113. 

J. Kilmartin, R. Sarip, R. Grau-Crespo, D. Di Tommaso, G. Hogarth, C. Prestipino and G. Sankar, Following the Creation of Active Gold Nanocatalysts from Phosphine-Stabilized Molecular Clusters, AGS Catal, 2012, 2, 957-963. 

Although most of the structurally characterized gold clusters are phosphine-based systems, in recent years some studies have focused on the synthesis of gold clusters with other stabilizers coexisting with phosphines such as thiols, arsines and boranes. Certain heteroleptic gold clusters stabilized with these ligands and arylphosphines in the same molecule have been structurally characterized. 

Figure 19 explains what in principle happens the cluster monolayer on the dendrimer film is mobilized by means of CH2CI2 vapour (a b). The phosphines are then removed by the SH functions (b->c). The bare AU55 nanoclusters move between the dendrimer molecules to form crystals (Auss) which finally appear on the surface (c d). The formation of crystalline superlattices of naked AU55 particles proves their stability which is founded in their perfect cuboctahedral shape. The (Auss) species is a novel modification of the element gold. 

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