Size Effect in Hydrogenation of Nitroaromatics Using Support-Immobilized Atomically Precise Gold Clusters

Three types of phosphine-stabilized gold clusters, [Au19(PhC≡C)9(Hdppa)3](SbF6), [Au20(PP3)4](Cl)4, and [Au22(Dppee)7](Cl)2, were chemically synthesized and deposited onto hydroxyapatite, TiO2 and CeO2. Catalysts were tested for the hydrogenation of nitroaromatics under mild conditions with the results showing that the size of supported nanoclusters and type of support affected the activity and selectivity of such reactions.