Thiolated Gold Nanoclusters with Well‐Defined Compositions and Structures

Metal nanoclusters (NCs) are ultrasmall-sized nanoparticles and stable entities composed of 10s–100s of metal atoms in the size range. Compared with conventional nanocrystals, metal NCs show some attractive advantages, such as atomic monodispersity and precise compositions/structures. To date, with the continuous progress of wet chemistry, various metal NCs with atomic precision have been successfully prepared and isolated, including gold, silver, and copper NCs. This chapter discusses the gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) with the most abundant species, which can be dated back to the 1960s. It focuses on the thiolated Au NCs with well-defined compositions and structures. The chapter reviews general synthesis strategies, facile synthesis methods, and common synthesis parameters that influence the structures and properties of NCs, basing on the results of the literature.