title: Metallophilicity-driven dynamic aggregation of a phosphorescent gold(I)-silver(I) cluster prepared by solution-based and mechanochemical approaches.
abstract: We observed an unusual reversible aggregation process showing stimuli-responsive structural dynamics and optical changes attributed to the formation of a sandwich-like Au3-Ag-Au3 cluster, which can be synthesized through both solution and mechanochemical methods. Unlike many other heteronuclear gold-silver clusters, the affinity of two cyclic Au3 complexes and a Ag(I) ion is solely bound by ligand unsupported Au-Ag bonding. The assembly/disassembly behavior, further forming nanoaggregates, is controllable by adjusting the concentration of the solution. In the solid state, the insertion of Ag(I) ion can be implemented through a mechanochemical approach, accompanied by visual color changes and reversible luminochromism. Furthermore, an uncommon solid-liquid extraction is demonstrated, showing the uniqueness of this labile Au-Ag metallophilicity and hinting at the possibility of manipulating a bonding process through a heterogeneous route.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Shantou University , Guangdong 515063, PR China.
authors.forename: Wen-Xiu
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Yu-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Mian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Raymond Wai-Yin
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Shun-Ze
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Seik Weng
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li