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.