Abstract: Nanochemists are often frustrated by the fact that no two nanoparticles are exactly the same, the inherent heterogeneity of nanoparticles often pose challenges to many fundamental aspects.1 Metal nanoclusters (NCs), also known as molecular metals, are a new class of atomically precise nanomaterials with a length along one molecular axis less than 3 nm.2 These clusters are collections of a few to hundreds of metal atoms that are stabilized by phosphines, alkynyls, thiols/thiolates, proteins, peptides, and DNA.1,2 Surface ligands prevent metal NCs from aggregating and influence their geometric structure as well as physicochemical features such as many absorption bands, luminescence, magnetism, and excellent catalytic reactivity.1,3 Despite the significant progress made in the field of gold nanoclusters, there remains a gap in our understanding of copper and silver NCs and their doped counterparts, particularly with regard to surface protection, metal-ligand interface, and photo instability. Ligand engineering presents a unique opportunity to address this by guiding the synthesis of new metal NCs, elucidating their structures, and exploring the links between their distinctive structures, properties, and applications.1-3

In this connection, we demonstrated the functionalization of syn-B18H22 clusters and revealed for the first time that this system features luminescence properties, which breaks the status quo and mythbusting of some of the established dogmas in the boron cluster community. We also present the first report on the mechanochromic shift in the luminescence of a borane cluster and proving first results that they are useful constituents of carbon-free self-assembled monolayers.4
In this research proposal seminar, a thorough literature review on surface chemistry of atomically precise coinage–metal nanoclusters and ligand engineering will be discussed and future perspective on this.

References:
1. Chakraborty, I.; Pradeep, T. Atomically Precise Clusters of Noble Metals: Emerging Link between Atoms and Nanoparticles. Chem. Rev. 2017, 117 (12), 8208–8271.
2. Jin, R.; Zeng, C.; Zhou, M.; Chen, Y. Atomically Precise Colloidal Metal Nanoclusters and Nanoparticles : Fundamentals and Opportunities. Chem. Rev. 2016, 116, 10346–10413.
3. Yan, J.; Teo, B. K.; Zheng, N. Surface Chemistry of Atomically Precise Coinage−Metal Nanoclusters: From Structural Control to Surface Reactivity and Catalysis. Acc. Chem. Res. 2018, 51, 12, 3084-3093
4. Patel, D. K.; Sooraj, B. S.; Kirakci, K.; Machacek, J.; Kucerakova, M.; Bould, J.; Dusek, M.; Frey, M.; Neumann, C.; Ghosh, S.; Turchanin, A.; Pradeep, T.; Base, T. Macropolyhedral syn-B18H22, the “Forgotten” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 32, 17975–17986