Nano Gold Clusters: A Powerful Catalyst for Oxidation Reactions

Nano Gold Clusters: A Powerful Catalyst for Oxidation Reactions Nanosized gold clusters Nanosized gold clusters are celebrated for their ability to catalyze a wide range of reactions—including oxidations, esterifications, and epoxidations. Yet, the origins of the metal’s remarkable reactivity remained elusive. Notably, gold’s role as a catalyst for CO oxidation has long been recognized. Recent computational work now reveals that CO itself can act as a co‑catalyst, boosting the oxidation of CO to CO₂ when adjacent to gold nanoclusters. Mechanism Researchers from the University of Nebraska and Xiangtan University in China have elucidated a self‑oxidation pathway. Their findings show that when CO binds to specific triangular Au₃ active sites on gold nanoclusters in the presence of O₂, the CO molecule assists in cleaving an adjacent OCOO intermediate. The study demonstrates that an Au₃‑bound CO neighbor accelerates O–O bond scission, yielding two CO₂ molecules.

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Nanomaterials