Synthesis and Characterization of the Highly Unstable Metalloid Cluster Ag64(PnBu3)16Cl6

Abstract

The reduction of (nBu3P)AgCl with LiBH(sBu)3 in toluene gives the metalloid silver cluster Ag64(PnBu3)16Cl6 (1) as dark red, temperature- and light-sensitive single crystals in high yield. 1 is the largest structurally characterized metalloid silver cluster exhibiting chlorine and phosphine substituents only. The silver atoms in 1 show an overall brick-shape arrangement, where structural resemblance to the close-packed fcc and hcp structures is realized. Within 1 a 58 electron closed shell system is present. The light sensitivity renders 1 as a model compound for the primary seeds of the photo process, whereby this sensitivity, together with the high-yield synthesis show that 1 is a perfect starting compound for further investigations like silver-plating processes.