Facile synthesis of ultra-small rhenium nanoparticles

Abstract

Ultra-small monodisperse rhenium nanoparticles (Re NPs; ca. 1.0-1.2 nm) were easily prepared by reducing the organometallic complex [Re2(C3H5)4] under a dihydrogen atmosphere under mild reaction conditions (3 bar H2; 120 °C). The particles can be stabilized by a ligand, hexadecylamine, or a polymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone and accommodate surface hydrides.