Controlled Synthesis of High-Nuclearity Th₃₈ Cluster for Efficient Photocatalytic Dehydrogenative Cross-Coupling.

Abstract

Actinide clusters represent a significant platform for decoding the complex chemical behavior of actinide elements, providing significant insights for the development of nuclear reactors and the management of radioactive waste. However, compared to other metal clusters, actinide clusters are still underexplored, especially high-nuclearity thorium clusters. Here, we developed a synthetic strategy, in the form of "cluster from cluster" to construct the highest nuclearity thorium cluster (Th₃₈) so far. It exhibits remarkable stability under high γ-ray irradiation (up to 690 kGy) and displays unprecedented dispersibility and stability under strong acid conditions (pH = 1). Moreover, the high stability and unique electronic structure of Th₃₈ renders it an excellent catalyst for the photocatalytic synthesis of 4-quinazolinones. This work utilizes a strategy to achieve the selfassembly of the highest nuclearity Th₃₈ and expands its potential applications.