Here, the synthesis of water-dispersible naked gold nanoclusters (AuNC ) is reported by a simple reduction of HAuCl with NaOH at room temperature, and it is shown that they are non-luminescent. They are then easily passivated with different thiols and adenosine monophosphate, leading to luminescent NCs. This is an important finding because the photoluminescence of the passivated NCs can now be clearly attributed to the ligand-AuNC surface interaction. These results are also highly relevant from the point of view of the preparation of luminescent NCs from the same NC batch. This strategy can be valuable for the preparation of a broad range of nano(bio)composites.

AuNCs capped with β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate exhibit an outstanding performance as ratiometric, fluorescent pH sensors in extremely acid media (0.6–2.7) and in the 7.0–9.2 pH range; the nanocluster itself is the fluorophore.

The conversion of amino diols to aminohydroxy acids by oxidation of the primary hydroxy group mediated by homogeneous and heterogeneous TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl radical) is reported. The synthesis uses NaOCl as primary oxidant and TEMPO, either dissolved in the homogeneous phase or entrapped in a sol-gel matrix, as catalytic mediator. Homogeneous TEMPO is suitable for the oxidation of aliphatic methylamino diols, while the hybrid organic-inorganic silica sol-gel catalysts are more selective mediators for the oxidation of benzylic amino diols like the potent antibiotic chloramphenicol which, under homogeneous conditions, are unselectively oxidized to benzoic acids.

Reduction of Au3+ in the presence of just AMP and HEPES, combined with light exposure, gives rise to luminescent, water-soluble Au+ nanoclusters. Their photoluminescence is considerably enhanced by adding Y3+ or Yb3+, which leads to Au+/Y3+ and Au+/Yb3+ NCs, respectively.

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