Transformation chemistry has advanced significantly in
recent years
as an excellent methodology for synthesizing new nanoclusters and
functionalizing the existing ones. However, rational synthesis and
fundamental understanding of the structural evolution among clusters
have not yet been achieved in nanocluster science. A deeper understanding
of the fundamental aspects of structure–property correlation
is necessary for the employment of befitting nanoclusters for specific
applications. Very recently, the transformation of nanoclusters without
the use of conventional co-reactants has been brought to light. These
co-reactant-less transformations are triggered by various conditions,
such as pH, solvent, light, temperature, etc. In this perspective,
we discuss how this unique method of transformation without any co-reactant
benefits the basic understanding of growth patterns and the corresponding
property evolution in nanoclusters.