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 Cu 36 nanoclusterzyme that is composed of a Cu 22 core stabilized by seven Cu 2 L ( L: 2-(2-(diphenylphosphaneyl)phenethyl)quinoline) staple units, three adamantanethiol (S-Adm) ligands, and one acetate ion (CH 3 COO – ). This Cu 36 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 Cu 36 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 Cu 36 nanoclusterzyme in the fields of analytical chemistry, environmental protection, and biotechnology.