Hydrolytic cleavage of nerve agent simulants by gold nanozymes

Although banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention, organophosphorus nerve agents are still available and have been used in regional wars, terroristic attacks or for other crtaiminal purposes. Their degradation is of primary importance for the severe toxicity of these compounds. Here we report that gold nanoparticles passivated with thiolated molecules bearing 1,3,7-triazacyclononane and 1,3,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane ligands efficiently hydrolyze nerve agents simulants p-nitrophenyl diphenyl phosphate and methylparaoxon as transition metal complexes at 25 °C and pH 8 with half-lives of the order of a few minutes. Mechanistically, these catalysts show an enzyme-like behavior, hence they constitute an example of nanozymes. The catalytic site appears to involve a single metal ion and its recognition of the substrates is driven mostly by hydrophobic interactions. The ease of preparation and the mild conditions at which they operate, make these nanozymes appealing catalysts for the detoxification after contamination with organophosphorus nerve agents, particularly those poorly soluble in water.