Applying size-focusing to synthesize atomically precise platinum nanoclusters

Alejandro Durand

University of Florida

Atomically precise metal clusters are a relatively new development in inorganic chemistry, which are known for their precise structures that can be correlated with their function, such as acting as a catalyst.  As platinum and platinum compounds have been commonly used as in catalysis, platinum science benefits greatly from these discoveries, since the catalytical mechanisms remain mostly unknown.

Synthesizing platinum clusters has been difficult due to the low reactivity of platinum.  Several different protecting ligands and metal additions have been tested.  For example, atomically precise platinum clusters have successfully been synthesized by using carbon monoxide (CO) and triphenylphosphine (PPh₃) as ligands and introducing other metals.  Another potential X type ligand is thiolate, as the large variety of side groups available makes it extremely versatile for surface coordination, which has been demonstrated with atomically precise gold clusters.  However, attempts to synthesize thiolate-protected platinum clusters have not succeeded.

Size focusing, used extensively in the creation of atomically precise gold nanoclusters, is a synthetic technique which involves etching a set of polydisperse clusters into one stable atomically precise cluster size.  Adapting size-focusing to platinum chemistry would lead to a library of atomically precise platinum clusters, especially ones protected by thiolates as i.  Some progress towards this goal has been made and will be presented in this poster, such as a precise Pt thiol precursor, and polydisperse platinum clusters that were synthesized and characterized via powder XRD.