Fatty acid capped, metal oxo clusters as the smallest conceivable nanocrystal prototypes
Dietger Van den Eynden, Rohan Pokratath, Jikson Pulparayil Mathew, Eline Goossens, Klaartje De Buysser, Jonathan De Roo
Abstract
), induced by carboxylate ligand exchange. Finally, we compare the catalytic performance of Zr12-oleate clusters with oleate capped, 5.5 nm zirconium oxide nanocrystals in the esterification of oleic acid with ethanol. The oxo clusters present a five times higher reaction rate, due to their higher surface area. Since the oxo clusters are the lower limit of downscaling oxide nanocrystals, we present them as appealing catalytic materials, and as atomically precise model systems. In addition, the lessons learned regarding PDF analysis are applicable to other areas of cluster science as well, from semiconductor and metal clusters, to polyoxometalates.