Distinct structure assembly driven by metal–ligand binding in Au23 nanoclusters and its relation to photocatalysis

Abstract

Here, we introduce two Au₂₃ nanoclusters to unveil the significance of metal–ligand binding-induced assembly. The Au₂₃ cluster protected by the thiolate ligand is packed in the shell-by-shell arrangement, while the Au₂₃ cluster capped by dual ligands of thiolate and PPh₃ is constructed from the assembly of Au₄ tetrahedra. Furthermore Au₂₃ from Au₄ tetrahedron-based assembly is capable of converting absorbed visible light into more excitons, compared to Au₂₃ from shell-by-shell assembly, thus exhibiting more efficient photocatalysis.