From Racemic Metal Nanoparticles to Optically Pure Enantiomers in One Pot

A general strategy, using mixed ligands, is utilized to synthesize atomically precise, intrinsically chiral nanocluster [Ag78(DPPP)6(SR)42] (Ag78) where DPPP is the achiral 1,3-bis­(diphenyphosphino)­propane and SR = SPhCF3. Ag78 crystallizes as racemates in a centric space group. Using chiral diphosphines BDPP = 2,4-bis­(diphenylphosphino)­pentane, the enantiomeric pair [Ag78(R/S-BDPP)6(SR)42] can be prepared with 100% optical purity. The chiral diphosphines gives rise to, separately, two asymmetric surface coordination motifs composed of tetrahedral R3PAg­(SR)3 moieties. The flexible nature of C–C–C angles between the two phosphorus atoms restricts the relative orientation of the tetrahedral R3PAg­(SR)3 moieties, thereby resulting in the enantiomeric selection of the intrinsic chiral metal core. This proof-of-concept strategy raises the prospect of enantioselectively synthesizing optically pure, atomically precise chiral noble metal nanoclusters for specific applications.