Ligand- and anion-controlled formation of silver alkynyl oligomers from soluble precursors.

Novel silver(I) alkynyl cluster complexes ([Ag5(bpy)4(C [triple bond] CBu(t))2](3+), [Ag8(bpy)6(C [triple bond] CBu(t))4](4+), and [Ag 12(bpy)4(C [triple bond] CBu(t))6(CF3CO2)6]) have been synthesized by reacting soluble polymeric precursors with bipyridine ligands, and control of the nuclearity can be achieved by varying the molar ratio of the reactants and using different types of anions.