Understanding the decomposition process of the Pt 1 Ag 24 (SPhCl 2 ) 18 nanocluster at the atomic level.

We report the decomposition of the Pt 1 Ag 24 (SPhCl 2 ) 18 nanocluster into a crown-like Pt 1 Ag 4 (SR) 8 (SR = 2,4-SPhCl 2 and 4-SPhBr) complex. UV-vis spectra and single crystal X-ray diffraction were used to track the structure-conversion process. Based on the total structure, the differences in ligand exchange rates at different sites and the effects on the stability were mapped out. This work can not only help us understand the ligand exchange behavior of the clusters, but also provide experimental support for the design of stable metal clusters.