We report the synthesis and characterization of selenophenolate-capped 25-gold-atom nanoclusters via a ligand-exchange approach. In this method, phenylethanethiolate (PhCH(2)CH(2)S) capped Au(25) nanoclusters are utilized as the starting material, which is subject to ligand-exchange with selenophenol (PhSeH). The as-obtained cluster product is confirmed to be selenophenolate-protected Au(25) nanoclusters through characterization by electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis (EA), UV-Vis and (1)H/(13)C NMR spectroscopies. The ligand-exchange synthesis of [Au(25)(SePh)(18)](-)[(C(8)H(17))(4)N](+) nanoclusters demonstrates that the core size of gold nanoclusters is retained in the thiolate-to-selenolate exchange process and that the 18 surface thiolate ligands can be completely exchanged by selenophenolate, rather than giving rise to a mixed ligand shell on the cluster. The two types of Au(25)L(18) (L = thiolate or selenolate) nanoclusters also show some differences in stability and optical properties.

This work reports the first synthesis of selenophenolate-protected Au(18)(SePh)(14) nanoclusters. This cluster exhibits distinct differences from its thiolate analogue in terms of optical absorption properties. The Au(18)(SePh)(14) nanoclusters were obtained via a controlled reaction of Au(25)(SCH(2)CH(2)Ph)(18) with selenophenol. Electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS) revealed the crude product to contain predominantly Au(18)(SePh)(14) nanoclusters, and side products include Au(15)(SePh)(13), Au(19)(SePh)(15) and Au(20)(SePh)(16). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to isolate Au(18)(SePh)(14) nanoclusters. The results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis (EA), and (1)H/(13)C NMR spectroscopy confirmed the cluster composition. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of selenolate-protected Au(18) nanoclusters. Future theoretical and X-ray crystallographic work will reveal the geometric structure and the nature of selenolate-gold bonding in the nanocluster.

Enantioselective synthesis of chiral Au38 nanoclusters is achieved with chiral 2-phenylpropane-1-thiol (abbreviated as R/S-PET, organic soluble), captopril and glutathione (water soluble) as the respective ligand. The circular dichroism (CD) spectra of Au38 (R-PET)24 and Au38 (S-PET)24 show multiple bands which are precisely mirror-imaged, while their normal optical absorption spectra are identical with each other and also superimposable with that of the racemic Au38 (SCH2 CH2 Ph)24 nanoclusters. The observed CD signals are not from the chiral ligands themselves (which only give rise to CD signals in the UV (<250 nm), rather than in the visible wavelength region). Chiral Au38 nanoclusters with different types of ligands are further compared. Although the Au38 core is intrinsically chiral, different chiral ligands are found to largely influence the chiroptical response of the overall nanocluster. Thus, the chiral response of ligand-protected nanoclusters has both contributions from the metal core and the ligand shell around it. These optically active nanoclusters hold promise in future applications such as chiral sensing and catalysis.

The formation of Cu precipitates was investigated in two Fe-Cu binary model alloys irradiated at 573 K with fission neutrons at doses from 4 ϫ 10 −4 to 6 ϫ 10 −3 displacement per atom ͑dpa͒. Experimental positron annihilation results indicated that Cu precipitates were formed even after irradiation to 4 ϫ 10 −4 dpa. Microvoids formed and grew at the Cu precipitates upon irradiation from 4 ϫ 10 −4 to 3 ϫ 10 −3 dpa. These microvoids shrank and a prominent aggregation of Cu atoms occurred upon irradiation from 3 ϫ 10 −3 to 6 ϫ 10 −3 dpa. The formation processes of Cu precipitates and microvoids were simulated on the basis of a rate theory. The results indicate that Cu precipitates are formed first, follow by the generation of microvoids at the Cu precipitates as Cu cluster-vacancies complexes, which agree qualitatively with the experimental results.

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