A Molecular Precursor Approach to Cluster Synthesis: from Luminescent Molecular Assemblies to Functional Nanomaterials
John
F.
Corrigan
Professor
Department
of
Chemistry
Western
University
London,
Ontario
Wednesday,
February
23,
2022
10:30
a.m.
STC
1012
Abstract: The reactivity of E-Si bonds (E = S, Se, Te) can be exploited in d-block metal-trimethylsilylchalcogenolates [M-E-SiMe3] to access ternary M-E-M´ clusters when such coordination complexes are reacted with a second metal source. Using N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands it is possible to prepare thermally stable [(NHC)M-ESiMe3]that can be used for the preparation of isostructural homo- and heterometallic group 11 – group 16 clusters.[1,2] The NHCs effectively stabilize the formed polymetallic assemblies and, when merged with the rich luminescence features of heterometallic group 11-chalcogenide clusters, they offer an ability to probe composition/structure/property relationships. This has enabled series of clusters [(NHC)4M4M´4(μ3-E)4] (M = Cu, Au; M´ = Cu, Ag, Au) to be prepared where systematic replacement of the metals and/or chalcogen is possible. Phosphorescence is observed from all clusters and emission energies can be varied based on the choice of metal and chalcogen within structurally identical cluster cores. Higher nuclearity cluster frameworks are also accessible using this approach.[3]
[1]
J.
Am.
Chem.
Soc.,
2017,
139,
14045-14048.
[2]
Inorg.
Chem.,
2019,
58,
5838-5848.
[3]
Dalton
Trans.,
2020,
49,
593-597.
John F. Corrigan is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. He obtained his B.Sc. (Chemistry Specialist) from the University of Toronto and his Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo. His research interests are located on the frontiers between coordination chemistry, materials chemistry and nanosciences: his team targets atomically precise (nano)clusters via the design of molecules that are incorporated into higher order architectures.