Thiolate-protected metal nanoclusters (or thiolated NCs) have recently emerged as a promising class of functional materials because their well-defined molecular structures and intriguing molecular-like properties. Recent developments in the NC field aimed at exploring NCs novel luminescent biomedical inherent biocompatibility good photoluminescence (PL) From fundamental perspective, recent advances also addressing aspects PL properties NCs, shedding some light on developing efficient...

ConspectusTotal synthesis, where desired organic- and/or biomolecules could be produced from simple precursors at atomic precision and with known step-by-step reactions, has prompted centuries-lasting bloom of organic chemistry since its conceptualization in 1828 (Wöhler synthesis urea). Such expressive science is also highly desirable nanoscience, it represents a decisive step toward atom-by-atom customization nanomaterials for basic applied research. Although total less established recent...

Aurophilic interactions (AuI ⋅⋅⋅AuI ) are crucial in directing the supramolecular self-assembly of many gold(I) compounds; however, this intriguing chemistry has been rarely explored for nanoscale building blocks. Herein, we report on studies aurophilic structure-directed ultrasmall gold nanoparticles or nanoclusters (NCs, <2 nm) using [Au25 (SR)18 ]- (SR=thiolate ligand) as a model cluster. The NCs is initiated by surface-motif reconstruction from short SR-[AuI -SR]2 units to long -SR]x...

Metal nanoclusters (NCs), composed of a metal core and protecting ligands, show promising potentials as enzyme mimics for producing fuels, pharmaceuticals, valuable chemicals, etc. Herein, we explore the critical role ligands in modulating peroxidase mimic activity stability Au NCs. A series Au15(SR)13 NCs with various thiolate [SR = N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), or 3-mercapto-2-methylpropanoic (MMPA)] are utilized model catalysts. It is found that Au15(NAC)13...

Abstract The dynamic response of single‐atom catalysts to a reactive environment is an increasingly significant topic for understanding the reaction mechanism at molecular level. In particular, single atoms may experience aggregation into clusters or nanoparticles driven by thermodynamic kinetic factors. Herein, inherent mechanistic nuances that determine profile during will be uncovered, including intrinsic stability and site‐migration barrier atoms, external stimuli (temperature, voltage,...

Besides being valuable assets in our daily lives, noble metals (namely, gold, silver, and platinum) also feature many intriguing physical chemical properties when their sizes are reduced to the nano- or even subnano-scale; such may significantly increase values of as functional materials for tackling important societal issues related human health environment. Among which, designing/engineering metal nanomaterials (NMNs) address challenging environment has attracted recent interest community....

Determination of the stoichiometry reactions is a pivotal step for any chemical toward desirable product, which has been successfully achieved in organic synthesis. Here, we present first precise determination gold nanoparticle formation sodium borohydride reduction method. Leveraging on real-time mass spectrometry technique, have determined balanced reaction, 32/x [Au(SR)]x + 8 e– = [Au25(SR)18]− 7 [Au(SR)2]− (here SR denotes thiolate ligand), stoichiometric synthesis water-soluble...

In this work, a high-performance catalytic membrane, composed of ultrasmall gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) and high aspect-ratio carbon nanotubes (CNTs), was designed for the continuous-flow reactions. hybrid Au core NCs serves as catalyst, ligand plays two key roles: (1) well-defined surfactant assembly to effectively dissolve CNTs in aqueous solution (2) an efficient protecting avoid agglomeration. Due above-mentioned features, homogeneous 3D self-support membrane can be readily fabricated by...

Abstract Atom-by-atom engineering of nanomaterials requires atomic-level knowledge the size evolution mechanism nanoparticles, which remains one greatest mysteries in nanochemistry. Here we reveal dynamics reaction molecular-like i.e., nanoclusters (NCs) by delicate mass spectrometry (MS) analyses. The model size-conversion is [Au 23 (SR) 16 ] − → 25 18 (SR = thiolate ligand). We demonstrate that such isoelectronic (valence electron count 8 both NCs) occurs a surface-motif-exchange-induced...

It is of technical interest to develop low-cost, high-quality and scalable photosensitizers that could efficiently harvest visible light. Here we design an efficient photoelectrocatalyst by integrating a recently developed gold nanocluster (AuNC, as photosensitizer) into two types highly ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNAs, substrates host the photosensitizers). The TNA electrodes used in this study are short (∼0.5 µm length, synthesized anodic oxidation aqueous hydrofluoric (HF) acid...

We decorated per-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin protected gold nanoclusters on TiO₂ nanoparticles to improve photocatalytic activity by inhibiting electron–hole pair recombination and absorbing organic targets <italic>via</italic> host–guest interactions.

Diverse methods have been developed to tailor the number of metal atoms in nanoclusters, but control surface ligand at a given cluster size is rare. Here we demonstrate that reversible addition and elimination single thiolate (-SR) on gold nanoclusters can be realized, opening door precision engineering atomically precise nanoclusters. We find oxidative etching [Au25SR18]- adds an excess generates new species, [Au25SR19]0. The reaction reversed by CO reduction [Au25SR19]0, leading back...

The interactions of materials with light determine their applications in various fields. In the past decade, ultrasmall metal nanoclusters (NCs) have emerged as a promising class optical due to unique molecular-like properties. Herein, basic principles absorption and photoluminescence NCs, polarized light, light-induced chemical reactions, are discussed, highlighting roles core protecting ligands/motifs NCs light. electronic structures which closely related addition, contribute chiral...

The design of a novel bacteria-triggered drug delivery system based on peptide-coated gold nanoclusters.

Atomically precise metal clusters have attracted increasing interest owing to their unique size-dependent properties; however, little has been known about the effect of size on catalytic properties at single-cluster level. Here, by real-time monitoring with single-molecule fluorescence microscopy process individual Au single-turnover resolution, we study behaviors gold (Au) level, and then observe strong clusters, in both product formation dissociation processes. Surprisingly, indicated...

In view of many the fundamental properties ultrasmall noble metal nanoclusters progressively being uncovered, it has become increasingly clear that this class materials enormous potential for photocatalytic and electrocatalytic applications due to their unique electronic optical properties. Minireview, we highlight key which are essential photocatalysis electrocatalysis. We further use these as basis our discussion map out directions or principles rational design high performance...

The understanding of inorganic reactions, especially those far from the equilibrium state, is relatively limited due to inherent complexity. Poor underlying synthetic chemistry constrains design efficient synthesis routes toward desired final products, at atomic precision. Using atomically precise gold nanoclusters as a demonstration platform, deep learning framework for guiding material successfully developed accelerate workflow. With only 54 examples, graph convolutional neural networks...

Catalytic oxidation is an important reaction in the fine chemical industry, environment, and energy. In past few decades, many kinds of catalysts have been produced with promising catalytic performance for reactions; however, understanding mechanisms still insufficient due to complexity composition structure conventional catalysts. several years, community has tried address this problem by using ligand-protected atomically precise gold nanoclusters as model Ligand-protected possess...