Ternary nanoclusters of CuHgS, CuHgSe, and CuInS.

Two copper-mercury-chalcogenide clusters [Hg(15)Cu(20)E(25)(PPr(3))(18)] (1, E = S; 2, E = Se) are synthesized in good yield from the reaction of (Pr(3)P)(3)Cu-ESiMe(3) and (Pr(3)P)(2).Hg(OAc)(2) at low temperatures. Single-crystal X-ray analyses illustrate that the two ternary clusters are isomorphous and consist of a phosphine-stabilized core of mixed Hg, Cu, and E centers. Thermolysis of 1 leads to the formation of mercury metal and various forms of copper-sulfide. The copper-indium-sulfide cluster [Cu(6)In(8)S(13)Cl(4)(PEt(3))(12)] (3) is similarly prepared in 50% yield from (Et(3)P)(3)Cu-SSiMe(3), InCl(3), and S(SiMe(3))(2).