Benzalaniline from nitrobenzene and benzaldehyde catalyzed efficiently by an atomically precise palladium nanocluster

Nanoclusters with a precise number of atoms may exhibit unique and often unexpected catalytic properties. Here, we report an atomically precise Pd3 nanocluster as an efficient catalyst, whose catalytic performance differs remarkably from typical Pd nanoparticle catalysts, with excellent reactivity and selectivity in the one-pot synthesis of benzalaniline from nitrobenzene and benzaldehyde. We anticipate that our work will serve as a starting point for the catalytic applications of these tiny atomically precise nanoclusters in green chemistry for the one-pot syntheses of fine chemicals.