The
reaction of Fe(CO)5 and Pt2(dba)3 in 1-n-butyl-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate
(BMIm.BF4), hexafluorophosphate (BMIm.PF6),
and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (BMIm.NTf2) under
hydrogen affords stable magnetic colloidal core–shell nanoparticles
(NPs). The thickness of the Pt shell layer has a direct correlation
with the water stability of the anion and increases in the order of
PF6 > BF4 > NTf2, yielding
the metal
compositions Pt4Fe1, Pt3Fe2, and Pt1Fe1, respectively. Magnetic measurements
give evidence of a strongly enhanced Pauli paramagnetism of the Pt
shell and a partially disordered iron-oxide core with diminished saturation
magnetization. The obtained Pauli paramagnetism of the Pt shell is
2 orders of magnitude higher than that of bulk Pt, owing to symmetry
breaking at the surface and interface, resulting in a strong increase
in the density of states at the Fermi level, and thus to enhanced
Pauli susceptibility. Moreover, these ultrasmall NPs showed efficient
catalytic activity for the direct production of selective short-chain
hydrocarbons (C1–C6) by the Fischer–Tropsch
synthesis with efficient conversion (18–34%) and selectivity
(69–90%, C2–C4). The selectivity
and activity were dependent on the Fe-oxides@Pt particle size. The
catalytic activity decreased from 34 to 18% as the NP size increased
from 1.7 to 2.5 nm at 15 bar and 300 °C.