Structural Characterization and Luminescence Properties of a Triphosphine-Stabilized Ag₁₆Cu₉ Heterometallic Alkynyl Cluster

A triphosphine-stabilized Ag16Cu9 heterometallic alkynyl cluster complex was prepared by the reaction of polymeric silver­(I) (4-tert-butylphenyl)­acetylide with a copper­(I) dpepp (dpepp = bis­(2-(diphenylphosphino)­ethyl)­phenylphosphine) complex and characterized by X-ray crystallography. This Ag16Cu9 heterometallic alkynyl complex exhibits an unprecedented structural topology stabilized by three auxiliary triphosphine ligands. The (4-tert-butylphenyl)­acetylide exhibits five types of asymmetric bonding modes, including μ-η1, μ-η1(σ):η2(π), μ3-η1, μ3-η1(σ):η1(σ):η2(π), and η1-μ4. This Ag16Cu9 complex exhibits visible to near-infrared luminescence in both fluid CH2Cl2 solution and the solid state.