Ultrastable Copper Superatom

Atomically coinage metal nanoclusters are highly attractive for various applications including catalysis, photochemistry, and energy conversion. While Cu nanoclusters are low cost, their development has lagged behind that of Au and Ag counterparts due to their inherent instability primarily caused by the low Cu(I)/Cu(0) reduction potential. Therefore, the synthesis of stable Cu(0)-containing nanoclusters remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we report the first 6-electron superatomic copper nanocluster, [Cu45H6(C≡CR)18(OAc)15] (Cu45). This cluster has remarkable stability, being resistant to thermal, oxidative, reductive, acidic, and basic treatments. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 92361301, 22531004, 223B2111
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Award: 2022YFA1503900