Inside Cover: Surface-Passivated SBA-15-Supported Gold Nanoparticles: Highly Improved Catalytic Activity and Selectivity toward Hydrophobic Substrates (Chem. Asian J. 5/2013).

Surface ‐ passivated SBA ‐ 15 ‐ supported gold nanoparticles that were nearly superhydrophobic, with a contact angle of 144°, were prepared by surface passivation based on a modified impregnation method, as reported by Jinsuo Gao et   al. in their Full paper on page   934   ff. In their study, which is featured on the Inside Cover, the authors found that the catalytic activity of these nanoparticles regarding the reduction of nitrobenzene was significantly increased (>14 times) when compared with non ‐ passivated SBA ‐ 15. Interestingly, the catalyst exhibited almost no catalytic activity for the more hydrophilic substrate 4 ‐ nitrophenol. Accordingly, such surface ‐ passivated catalysts may find use in the selective catalysis of hydrophobic substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]