High temperature nucleation and growth of glutathione protected ∼Ag<inf>75</inf> clusters

We report the first high temperature solution state synthesis of glutathione (−SG) protected atomically precise silver clusters. Noble metal cluster synthesis from metal ions generally requires ice cold temperatures as they are extremely sensitive and high temperature routes are used only for core reduction methods, starting from nanoparticles. The clusters formed by the new route have distinct features in their absorption profile and they exhibit red luminescence. They are characterised by other spectroscopic and microscopic techniques and a tentative formula of Ag75(SG)40 has been assigned. © 2012 Royal Society of Chemistry.