Cluster nanodusters

Two crucial factors required for the successful development of these applications are the need to synthesize the appropriate nanoduster molecules in such a manner as to have zero size distribution and to be able to structurally characterize the products obtained. The numerous practical applications of binary late-metal chalco-genide semiconductors [1] have spurred the development of chemical methods to access nanometer-sized pieces of these solid materials, where single crystal diffraction can be used to eluddate the three-dimensional structure of the clusters obtained. 

Rothenberg and coworkers studied the application of mixed-metal nanodusters in the Suzuki reaction. They made small tetra-octylammonium formate stabilised clusters (1.6-2.1 nm) based on Cu, Ru, Pd and Pt and binary and ternary combinations thereof Of the single metals, Pd was the most active, but surprisingly, Cu and Ru also showed good activity. The mixed Cu—Pd nanocluster was as active as the Pd nanodusters [44]. 

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