Gram-Scale Synthesis of a Laccase-Like Cu36 Nanocluster with Enhanced Catalytic Activity and Stability

The widespread development of natural laccase in applications is limited by its sensitivity to environmental conditions and high production costs. We report an atomically precise Cu36 nanoclusterzyme that is composed of a Cu22 core stabilized by seven Cu2L (L: 2-(2-(diphenylphosphaneyl)phenethyl)quinoline) staple units, three adamantanethiol (S-Adm) ligands, and one acetate ion (CH3COO–). This Cu36 nanoclusterzyme demonstrates a laccase-like activity and exhibits dual functionality: (1) it catalyzes oxidation of phenolic pollutants with a maximum rate (4.12 μM·min–1), which is 2.8 times greater than that of natural laccase and (2) it enables selective detection of epinephrine through a colorimetric response, with a detection limit of 0.43 μg/mL. Importantly, the Cu36 nanoclusterzyme is stable under extreme conditions, including extreme pH values, ionic strength, temperature, and storage time. It also preserves 80% catalytic efficiency after seven cycles and exhibits broad substrate specificity. These results demonstrate the application potential of the efficient Cu36 nanoclusterzyme in the fields of analytical chemistry, environmental protection, and biotechnology.