Abstract
High-resolution electrospray ionization ion mobility mass spectrometry has revealed a gas-phase isomer of the ubiquitous, extremely well-studied Au25(SR)18 cluster both in anionic and cationic form. The relative abundance of the isomeric structures can be controlled by in-source activation. The measured collision cross section of the new isomer agrees extremely well with a recent theoretical prediction (MatusM. F.; et al. Chem. Commun.2020, 56, 8087) corresponding to a Au25(SR)18– isomer that is energetically close and topologically connected to the known ground-state structure via a simple rotation of the gold core without breaking any Au–S bonds. The results imply that the structural dynamics leading to isomerization of thiolate-protected gold clusters may play an important role in their gas-phase reactions and that isomerization could be controlled by external stimuli.
Highlights
High-resolution electrospray ionization ion mobility mass spectrometry has revealed a gas-phase isomer of the ubiquitous, extremely well-studied Au25(SR)[18] cluster both in anionic and cationic form
O ver the last two decades, research on monolayerprotected clusters (MPCs) has resulted in large progress.[1−3] MPCs typically contain from a few atoms to a few hundred atoms in the metal core and are protected by a ligand shell
MPCs are considered for various applications, for example in sensing[6] and catalysis,[7−9] because of their tunable physical and chemical properties
Summary
High-resolution electrospray ionization ion mobility mass spectrometry has revealed a gas-phase isomer of the ubiquitous, extremely well-studied Au25(SR)[18] cluster both in anionic and cationic form.
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