Insights into the effect of regulation of molecular composition on the properties of (AuAg) clusters.

The precise tuning of cluster composition helps us to understand the relationship between clusters and their properties. In this context, on the basis of AuAg(SAdm)(Dppm) (HSAdm is 1-adamantanethiol, CHSH; Dppm is bis(diphenylphosphino)methane, PhPCHPPh), the control of the internal metal, surface thiol, and surface phosphine ligand was accomplished, with the formations of AuAg(SAdm)(Dppm), AuAg(S-c-CH)(Dppm) and AuAg(SAdm)(VDPP-2H) (HS-c-CH is cyclohexanethiol; VDPP is 1,1-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethylene, (PhP)CCH; and VDPP-2H is 1,1-bis(diphenylphosphine) ethane derived from the reduction of VDPP, (PhP)CHCH). The structures of AuAg(SAdm)(Dppm) and AuAg(S-c-CH)(Dppm) were determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography (SC-XRD), while that of AuAg(SAdm)(VDPP-2H) was confirmed ESI-MS measurements. The control of the metal, thiol and phosphine ligand affects the electronic structure and optical properties of the AuAg(SAdm)(Dppm) cluster. Overall, the nanoclusters AuAg(SAdm)(Dppm), AuAg(SAdm)(Dppm), AuAg(S-c-CH)(Dppm) and AuAg(SAdm)(VDPP-2H) provide a chance to explore the effect of regulation of metals and surface ligands on electronic and optical properties.