Atomically-precise nanoclusters are an emerging class of nanomaterials. These clusters are perfectly monodisperse, which allows for their full structural characterization and offers insight into their assembly. Due to their unique size and shape, these materials may also showcase reactivity and properties not observed in molecular systems or in larger nanoparticles. This talk will describe our attempts to synthesize nanoclusters supported by the organometallic ketimide ligand, [R2C=N]-. Specifically, we will describe our attempts to generate ketimide-supported nanoclusters of Fe, Pd, and Pt, by reaction of the corresponding metal halides with lithium ketimide salts. We reasoned that ketimides would be an excellent co-ligand for this application because of their unique ability to: (1) act as π-acceptors to stabilize low-valent metal centers, (2) bridge multiple metal centers and facilitate metal-metal bonding, and (3) act as an in situ reductant to generate the aforementioned low-valent metal centers.

Towards organometallic nanoclusters: Ketimide-stabilized low-valent transition metal clusters

256th National Meeting (2018)

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