Synthesis of Trimetallic (HPd@M2Au8)3+ Superatoms (M = Ag, Cu) via Hydride-Mediated Regioselective Doping to (Pd@Au8)2+

We have recently reported that hydride (H–) doped superatom (HPd@Au8)+ protected by eight PPh3 ligands selectively grew into (HPd@Au10)3+ by the nucleophilic addition of two Au­(I)Cl units. In the present study, (HPd@Au8)+ was successfully converted to unprecedented trimetallic (HPd@M2Au8)3+ superatoms (M = Ag, Cu) by controlled doping of two Ag­(I)­Cl or Cu­(I)Cl units, respectively. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that two Ag­(I) or Cu­(I) ions were regioselectively incorporated. Theoretical calculations suggested that hydrogens in (HPd@M2Au8)3+ (M = Au, Ag, Cu) occupy the same bridging site between the central Pd atom and the surface Au atom. (HPd@Ag2Au8)3+ exhibited photoluminescence at 775 nm, with the enhanced quantum yield of 0.09%, although it is structurally and electronically equivalent with (HPd@Au10)3+. This study demonstrates that hydride-mediated growth process is a promising atomically-precise bottom-up synthetic method of new multimetallic superatoms.