Gold, often known as being
chemically inert
, has rich inorganic and organic chemistry. In particular, gold nanoparticles, either protected by organic ligands or supported on solid surfaces, have attracted wide attention for their applications in catalysis, electronics, nonlinear optics, and biology. In this article, we summarize some recent advances in the synthesis of supported gold catalysts from the perspective of inorganic materials chemistry. These advances include new methods used to load gold, to prepare functionalized supports, and to postdecorate supported gold catalysts. More recent advances in the use of nanoparticle supports and other ordered nanostructures in making supported gold catalysts are also highlighted, and a critical analysis of the status of the field is presented. From this review, it is hoped that the reader will get an impression that inorganic materials chemistry can contribute to the synthesis of novel gold catalysts with good catalytic performance.