Gold Nanowired: A Linear (Au25 )n Polymer from Au25Molecular Clusters

Au25(SR)18 has provided fundamental insights into the properties of clusters protected by monolayers of thiolated ligands (SR). Because of its ultrasmall core, 1 nm, Au25(SR)18 displays molecular behavior. We prepared a Au25 cluster capped by n-butanethiolates (SBu), obtained its structure by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, and studied its properties both experimentally and theoretically. Whereas in solution [Au25 (SBu)18]0 is a paramagnetic molecule, in the crystal it becomes a linear polymer of Au25clusters connectedviasingle AuAu bonds and stabilized by proper orientation of clusters and interdigitation of ligands. At low temperature, [Au25(SBu)18]0 has a nonmagnetic ground state and can be described as a one-dimensional antiferromagnetic system. These findings provide a breakthrough into the properties and possible solid-state applications of molecular gold nanowires