Stabilization of silicon nanoparticles by carbenes

Sodium reduction of a mixture of tetrabromosilane with imidazole ionic liquids in organic solvents gives dispersions of silicon nanoparticles stabilized by carbene ligands. It was shown that the size of silicon nanoclusters depends on the size of substituents at nitrogen atoms of 1,3-dialkylimidazol-2-ylidenes.