Superatom Paramagnetism in Au<sub>102</sub>(SR)<sub>44</sub><sup>1–/0/1+/2+</sup> Oxidation States
Phillip S. Window, Christopher J. Ackerson
Abstract
Gold nanoclusters show distinctive magnetic properties and electronic structure. Nanoclusters of sufficiently small size restructure geometrically to stabilize electronically (e.g., a Jahn–Teller effect), whereas geometric distortion may not be possible in larger nanoclusters. In this work, the charge-state-dependent magnetism of the Au102(SPh)441–/0/1+/2+ nanocluster is investigated through Evans method NMR measurements. The 2+ charge state is shown as paramagnetic. This suggests that the nanocluster does not distort geometrically to pair electrons. Because the nanocluster lies within the transition range of molecule-like to bulk-like properties, this suggests that the geometric stabilization that becomes important in larger “magic number clusters” may be resistant to electronically driven distortions observed in smaller nanoclusters.