title: Crystal structure and electronic properties of a thiolate-protected Au24 nanocluster.
abstract: Solving the total structures of gold nanoclusters is of critical importance for understanding their electronic, optical and catalytic properties. Herein, we report the X-ray structure of a charge-neutral Au24(SCH2Ph-(t)Bu)20 nanocluster. This structure features a bi-tetrahedral Au8 kernel protected by four tetrameric staple-like motifs. Electronic structure analysis is further carried out and the optical absorption spectrum is interpreted. The Au24(SCH2Ph-(t)Bu)20, Au23(S-c-C6H11)16 and Au25(SCH2CH2Ph)18 nanoclusters constitute the first crystallographically characterized "trio".
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. rongchao@andrew.cmu.edu.
authors.forename: Anindita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nobusada
authors.forename: Chenjie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Nathaniel L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Rosi
authors.forename: Rongchao
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jin