Small Copper Nanoclusters Synthesized through Solid-State Reduction inside a Ring-Shaped Polyoxometalate Nanoreactor.

Cu nanoclusters exhibit distinctive physicochemical properties and hold significant potential for multifaceted applications. Although Cu nanoclusters are synthesized by reacting Cu ions and reducing agents by covering their surfaces using organic protecting ligands or supporting them inside porous materials, the synthesis of surface-exposed Cu nanoclusters with a controlled number of Cu atoms remains challenging. This study presents a solid-state reduction method for the synthesis of Cu nanoclusters employing a ring-shaped polyoxometalate (POM) as a structurally defined and rigid molecular nanoreactor.

Ligand-Protecting Strategy for the Controlled Construction of Multinuclear Copper Cores within a Ring-Shaped Polyoxometalate.

The ring-shaped polyoxometalate (POM) [PWO] contains a large cavity and is an attractive inorganic multidentate ligand for accumulating metal cations. Until now, several multinuclear metal cores are constructed within the {PW} framework in aqueous solvents. However, it is still challenging to control the number and arrangement of introduced metal cations because of the numerous coordination sites inside the {PW} framework.