Nanozymes: Functional nanoparticle-based catalysts

This short review highlights recent results on the use of nanoclusters of gold protected by a monolayer of functional ligands in both molecular recognition and catalysis. Particular emphasis is given to the multivalent properties of these systems and, in the case of catalysis, to the cooperativity between functional groups present in the ligands of the monolayer. The outstanding catalytic efficiency of some of the functional nanoparticles synthesized led us to call them nanozymes by analogy with the activity of catalytic polymers (synzymes).