Different Types of Ligand Exchange Induced by Au Substitution in a Maintained Nanocluster Template

Precisely regulating the ligand exchange on the nanocluster (NC) surface is challenging but important for fully understanding metal–ligand interactions and transformations. In this work, the homosilver nanocluster Ag 40 (TBBM) 22 (CH 3 COO) 10 (Ag 40 ) and its Au-substitution derivative AuAg 39 (TBBM) 20 (CH 3 COO) 12 (AuAg 39 ) have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography (SC-XRD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). By precisely controlling the template metal exchange progress, the intermediate product, namely, AuAg 39 (TBBM) 21 (CH 3 COO) 11 (AuAg 39 -inter), was also obtained and then characterized by SC-XRD. These three nanoclusters possess a similar metallic framework, albeit some of the thiol ligands of Ag 40 have been replaced by the introduced acetate ligands in both AuAg 39 -inter and AuAg 39 . Furthermore, Ag 40 and AuAg 39 NCs can serve as chiral amplifiers for testing the ee values of 2-chloropropionic acid, ibuprofen, naproxen, and isoleucine with high sensitivity.