We report the controlled synthesis of small palladiumnanoparticles (PdNPs) with narrow particle size distribution (1.8 ± 0.2 nm) using an organic molecular cage as a template. The well-defined cage structure and thioether anchoring groups inside the cavity are critical for the formation of narrowly distributed PdNPs, offering a confined organic molecular environment and guiding PdNP nucleation and
for the controlled synthesis of goldnanoparticles (AuNPs) with narrow size distribution (1.9 ± 0.4 nm) through NP nucleation and growth inside the cavity of a well-defined three-dimensional, shape-persistent organic molecular cage. Our results show that both a well-defined cage structure and pendant thioether groups pointing inside the cavity are essential for the AuNP synthesis.