Probing cooperative effects in bimetallic clusters: indications of C-N coupling of CH4 and NH3 mediated by the cluster ion PtAu+ in the gas phase.

The bimetallic cluster ion PtAu+ activates methane in the gas-phase, yielding the carbene PtAuCH2+ which further reacts with ammonia under C-N coupling. In contrast, neither Pt2+ nor Au2+ mediates C-N bond formation. This example demonstrates how bond activation in the gas phase can be tuned by cooperative effects in bimetallic clusters.