Dual functional catalysis of [Nb 6 O 19 ] 8- -modified Au/Al 2 O 3 .

A catalyst prepared by modifying the surface of Au nanoparticles (NPs) on Al 2 O 3 with [Nb 6 O 19 ] 8- clusters had specific base and reduction abilities, and the reduction of p -nitrophenol to p -aminophenol using H 2 as a reductant proceeded efficiently with the dual functional catalyst. At the interface between Au NPs and basic [Nb 6 O 19 ] 8- , heterolytically cleaved hydrogen species are generated, which can efficiently react with nitrophenolate ions generated by base catalysis. Moreover, this surface modification strategy was applicable to the reduction of other nitro compounds.