In recent years, the number of papers dealing with gold catalysis has drastically increased. Angewandte Chemie International Edition publishes now a concise but thorough highlight on Gold Catalysis.

This highlight mentions some of the research done in the group of Antonio Echavarren, one of the renowned experts in gold catalysis nowadays. Most specifically, it focuses on one of the latest papers by E. Smirnova and A. Echavarren published in Angewandte Chemie last July.

The paper describes a nanosized gold catalyst, which is the first well-defined metal cluster comprising six gold atoms stabilised by only four phosphine ligands that is active in homogeneous catalysis.

Gold cluster published by E. Smirnova and A. Echavarren

As the authors of this highlight say, they have outlined the main breakthroughs in gold catalysis that will serve as inspiration for the design of new catalytic systems.

Antonio Echavarren et al. papers referenced in this highlight: