Pores of MOFs were decorated with terminal alkyne to achieve very high loading of gold nanoparticles for efficient catalytic reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds.
Au single atoms (Au SAs) and Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) were obtained on HNT@B12H12@Au catalysts. Experimental and theoretical calculations revealed that O–Au–B–Au SAs, O–Au SAs, B–Au SAs and Au NPs are involved in the reaction simultaneously.