Manipulating the organic–inorganic interface of atomically precise Au36(SR)24 catalysts for CO oxidation†
Abstract
Here, we report a series of atomically precise Au36 nanoclusters protected by thiol ligands to explore the influence of organic–inorganic interfaces, that is, the local environment around heterogeneous catalysts, on catalytic oxidation of CO. Our studies give molecular-level insights into the relationship between the catalytic reactivity and the metal–ligand surface bonding, which tunes access to the active sites, thereby precisely tailoring the activity of the Au36 catalysts for CO oxidation.