A Face‐to‐Face Dimer of Au
3
Superatoms Supported by Interlocked Tridentate Scaffolds Formed in Au
18
S
2
(SR)
12
摘要:
AbstractA new sulfur‐containing gold cluster, Au18S2(STipb)12, was serendipitously obtained using the bulky thiol, 2,4,6‐triisopropylbenzyl mercaptan (TipbSH), as protecting ligands. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed that Au18S2(STipb)12 has a deformed octahedral Au6 core clutched by two tridentate S[Au2(STipb)2]3 units in an interlocked manner. Based on density functional theory calculations, we propose that the Au6 core with two electrons is better viewed as a face‐to‐face dimer of Au3(1e) superatoms rather than an electronically closed Au6(2e) superatom. In situ formation of the sulfide anions (S2−) via C‐S bond breakage is ascribed to the steric repulsion between the TipbS ligands.