Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2016, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (10): 1588-1593.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(16)62463-4

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Advances in polymer-stabilized Au nano-cluster catalysis: Interplay of theoretical calculations and experiments

Hiroaki Kogaa, Kohei Sakatab, Yoshinori Atob, Akihide Hayashib, Kohei Tadab, Mitsutaka Okumura,b   

  1. a Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts and Batteries(ESICB) Kyoto University, 1-30 Goryoohara, Kyoto 615-8245, Japan;
    b Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
  • Received:2016-04-24 Revised:2016-05-20 Online:2016-10-21 Published:2016-10-22
  • Contact: Mitsutaka Okumur

Abstract:

Polymer-stabilized Au nano clusters (NCs) with mean diameters of 2-10 nm exhibit unique catalytic properties. Several studies have shown that the key factors affecting the catalytic activity of polymer-stabilized Au NCs are control of the Au NC size, appropriate selection of polymers and optimization of the reaction conditions. This is because polymer-stabilized Au NCs exhibit a clear size effect in several catalytic reactions, and the catalytic activity differs with the type of polymer used and the reaction conditions. In order to elucidate the reason underlying the catalytic activity of the polymer-stabilized Au NCs, much attention is being devoted to the interplay of theoretical calculations and experiments in catalysis by polymer stabilized Au NCs. The present article mainly summarizes our progress in understanding this interplay in polymer-stabilized Au NC catalysis.

Key words: Polymer-stabilized Au nano-cluster, Aerobic oxidation of alcohols, Interplay of theoretical calculations and experiments, Size effect of Au nano-cluster, Role of the polymers