The Magic Au60 Nanocluster: A New Cluster-Assembled Material with Five Au13 Building Blocks

Herein, we report the synthesis and atomic structure of the cluster-assembled [Au60Se2(Ph3P)(10)(SeR)(15)](+) material. Five icosahedral Au-13 building blocks from a closed gold ring with Au-Se-Au linkages. Interestingly, two Se atoms (without the phenyl tail) locate in the center of the cluster, stabilized by the Se-(Au)(5) interactions. The ring-like nanocluster is unprecedented in previous experimental and theoretical studies of gold nanocluster structures. In addition, our optical and electrochemical studies show that the electronic properties of the icosahedral Au-13 units still remain unchanged in the penta-twinned Au-60 nanocluster, and this new material might be a promising in optical limiting material. This work offers a basis for deep understanding on controlling the cluster-assembled materials for tailoring their functionalities.