Planet–Satellite Nanostructures Based on Block Copolymer‐Surfactant Nanoparticles Surface‐Decorated with Gold and Silver: A New Strategy for Interfacial Catalysis

Gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) are covalently conjugated onto the surface of thiol‐functionalized block copolymer particles containing surfactant‐rich liquid crystalline cores. The resulting planet–satellite nanoconjugates display enhanced colloidal stability upon changes in solution pH or ionic strength and interfacial properties that result in the stabilization of oil‐in‐water emulsions. These biphasic systems are used as medium for catalyzed aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzoic acid and the nanoconjugates display catalytic activity comparable to the single Ag and Au NPs in aqueous medium, with the advantage of an easier and more efficient separation of unreacted alcohol and product from reaction medium, making this the first report on interfacial gold‐ and silver‐catalyzed aerobic alcohol oxidation. These results, and the flexibility of the present approach, support the proposal of this methodology as a general platform for interfacial catalysis based on these novel nanomaterials.