Mono- and Bis-Terpyridine-Based Dimer and Metallo-Organic Polymers as Ionic Templates for Preparation of Multi-Metallic Au Nanocluster and Nanowires.

The preparation of multi-metallic Au nanocluster and nanowires has been achieved using terpyridine-based metallo-organic polymers as multi-ionic templates through a straightforward counterion exchange with aqueous NaAuCl4 followed by a mild reduction in-situ with sodium citrate. The mild reduction of the [TpyFeTpy]2+ x 2[AuCl4]- complex, derived from [TpyFeTpy]2+ x 2Cl- 1 (tpy = 2,2':6',2"-terpyridine), led to the formation of Au nanoclusters (Au NC) with diameters ranging from 7.5-88 nm. Each Au NC alone contained multiple nanoparticles, with diameters ranging from 2.5-4.5 nm. 1,4-bis-terpyridine based metallo-oraganic polymer [-TpyFeTpy-TpyFeTpy-]n(2n+) x [Cl]2n- 2 was found to generate a multi-ionic metallo-polymer with AuCl4- as the counterion, after mild reduction with sodium citrate, resulting in irregular zigzag shaped Au nanowires (Au NW). The prepared Au NW from the di-metallic complex 3 should find applications within electronic devices. Both Au NC and NW were also found to possess excellent catalytic properties.