Atomically Precise AuPt(thiolate)(dithiolate) Nanoclusters with Excellent Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reactivity.

[AuPt(C6)] (C6 = 1-hexanethiolate) is twice as active as commercial Pt nanoparticles in promoting the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), thereby attracting attention as new HER catalysts with well-controlled geometric structures. In this study, we succeeded in synthesizing two new Au-Pt alloy nanoclusters, namely, [AuPt(TBBT)(TDT)] (TBBT = 4--butylbenzenethiolate; TDT = thiodithiolate) and [AuPt(TBBT)(PDT)] (PDT = 1,3-propanedithiolate), by exchanging all the ligands of [AuPt(PET)] (PET = 2-phenylethanethiolate) with mono- or dithiolates. Although [AuPt(TBBT)(TDT)] was synthesized serendipitously, a similar cluster, [AuPt(TBBT)(PDT)], was subsequently obtained by selecting the appropriate reaction conditions and optimal combination of thiolate and dithiolate ligands.

Triplet-triplet annihilation-based photon upconversion using nanoparticles and nanoclusters.

The phenomenon of photon upconversion (UC), generating high-energy photons from low-energy photons, has attracted significant attention. In particular, triplet-triplet annihilation-based UC (TTA-UC) has been achieved by combining the excitation states of two types of molecules, called the sensitizer and emitter (or annihilator). With TTA-UC, it is possible to convert weak, incoherent near-infrared (NIR) light, which constitutes half of the solar radiation intensity, into ultraviolet and visible light that are suitable for the operation of light-responsive functional materials or devices such as solar cells and photocatalysts.

Tiara-like Hexanuclear Nickel-Platinum Alloy Nanocluster.

Tiara-like metal nanoclusters (TNCs) have attracted a great deal of attention because of their high stability and easy synthesis under atmospheric conditions as well as their high activity in various catalytic reactions. Alloying is one of the methods that can be used to control the physicochemical properties of nanoclusters, but few studies have reported on alloy TNCs. In this study, we synthesized alloy TNCs [NiPt(PET), where = 1-5 and PET = 2-phenylethanethiolate] consisting of thiolate, nickel (Ni), and platinum (Pt).

Nested Keplerian architecture of [CuH(SPr)(PPh)] nanoclusters.

This article explores the challenges in synthesizing highly symmetric Cu(I)-thiolate nanoclusters and reports a nested Keplerian architecture of [CuH(SPr)(PPh)] (Pr = CHCHCH). The structure is made up of five concentric polyhedra of Cu(I) atoms, which create enough space to accommodate five ligand shells all within a range of 2 nm. This fascinating structural architecture is also linked to the unique photoluminescence properties of the nanoclusters.

Key factors for connecting silver-based icosahedral superatoms by vertex sharing.

Metal nanoclusters composed of noble elements such as gold (Au) or silver (Ag) are regarded as superatoms. In recent years, the understanding of the materials composed of superatoms, which are often called superatomic molecules, has gradually progressed for Au-based materials. However, there is still little information on Ag-based superatomic molecules.