Catalysis opportunities of atomically precise gold nanoclusters

Nanogold has been found to be an effective catalyst for many chemical reactions. However, mechanistic studies have thus far only met with limited success, largely due to the unavailability of well-defined catalysts. We are motivated to create atomically precise gold (Au) nanoclusters in the hope of unraveling some fundamental aspects of nanogold catalysis. In this feature article, we summarize recent works on the catalytic promise of a new class of materials: ultrasmall (<2 nm), semiconducting Au nanoclusters protected by thiolates, referred to as Aun(SR)m, where n and m represent the number of gold atoms and thiolate ligands, respectively. The recent research is focused on the synthesis and structural determination of atomically precise Aun(SR)m nanoclusters as well as exploring their catalytic properties. The correlation of the X-ray crystal structures of the Aun(SR)m nanoclusters with their catalytic properties will ultimately permit a deep understanding of the origin of nanogold catalysis and will also benefit the future design of new catalysts with high selectivity and activity.