Distinct structure assembly driven by metal–ligand binding in Au23 nanoclusters and its relation to photocatalysis

Here, we introduce two Au23 nanoclusters to unveil the significance of metal–ligand binding-induced assembly. The Au23 cluster protected by the thiolate ligand is packed in the shell-by-shell arrangement, while the Au23 cluster capped by dual ligands of thiolate and PPh3 is constructed from the assembly of Au4 tetrahedra. Furthermore Au23 from Au4 tetrahedron-based assembly is capable of converting absorbed visible light into more excitons, compared to Au23 from shell-by-shell assembly, thus exhibiting more efficient photocatalysis.