Mixed‐Valence Nanoclusters: Fast Electron Transfer in Mixed‐Valence Systems with a Gold Nanoparticle as the Bridge

Trinuclear ruthenium clusters attached to Au nanoparticles can be partially reduced to form mixed-valence nanoclusters. The nanoparticles are synthesized using a modified Brust method. IR-SEC shows dynamic coalescence of the stretching vibrations of the carbonyls, ν(CO), indicating the electron transfer between Ru clusters attached via a π-conjugated bridge to NPs occurs on the picosecond timescale. Simulation of IR spectra gives ket on the order of 1011 s−1.