N-Heterocyclic carbene stabilized Ag-P nanoclusters

The N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) 1,3-di-isopropylbenzimidazole-2-ylidene (Pr-i(2)-bimy) is found to be an excellent ligand for the stabilization of silver-phosphorus polynuclear complexes. The straightforward preparation and characterization of the clusters [Ag-12(PSiMe3)(6)(Pr-i(2)-bimy)(6)] (1) and [Ag26P2(PSiMe3)(10)(Pr-i(2)-bimy)(8)] (2) are described, representing the first examples of such structurally characterized, higher nuclearity complexes obtained using this class of ligands.