Selenium containing imidazolium salt in designing single source precursors for silver bromide and selenide nano-particles

The AgBr and Ag2Se nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized for the first time from two single source precursors ([Ag-2(L)(2)Br-2] (1) and [Ag(L-HBr)(2)]BF4 (2) respectively) designed using the same ligand 3-benzyl-1-(2-phenylselanyl-ethyl)-3H-imidazolium bromide (L). The ODE-ODA-OA (1 : 1 : 2) and TOP-OA (1 : 2) are most suitable solvents for thermolysis of 1 and 2 respectively, resulting in the NPs. The composition of the solvent used in thermolysis affects the purity of NPs. The bonding of L in 1 is unique, as it has a pre-carbene site intact.