Site-specific sulfur-for-metal replacement in a silver nanocluster

A new Ag-36 nanocluster with a closed electronic structure and eight valence electrons is reported, which has a similar structure to that of an open-shell Ag-34 nanocluster with three valence electrons, except that in the shell two (Ag-PPh3)(+) cations replace two S(2-)anions specifically. The fine structural modulation leads to various levels of activity for singlet oxygen photogeneration due to the distinct optical gaps of the nanoclusters.

Automated summary

A novel Ag-36 nanocluster with a closed electronic structure and eight valence electrons is described, which shares a similar structure with an open-shell Ag-34 nanocluster with three valence electrons, except for the replacement of two S(2-) anions with two (Ag-PPh3)(+) cations in the shell. The precise structural modulation results in varying levels of singlet oxygen photogeneration activity due to the distinct optical gaps of the nanoclusters.