Luminescence responsive intracluster rearrangements of gold(i)–silver(i) clusters triggered by acetonitrile

Abstract

A gold(I)–silver(I) cluster bearing six carboxylate groups has been synthesized through the oxidation of its aldehyde precursor and the Au₆ core of this cluster displays an octahedral or a trigonal prismatic configuration depending on the crystallization conditions. The reversible interconversion between these two isomers can be triggered in the solid state by the addition or removal of acetonitrile solvent molecules. Interestingly, luminescence changes were observed as each configuration shows different emission colors, yellow for octahedral type and red for the trigonal prismatic one.