Gold nanoparticles functionalized with supramolecular macrocycles

Cold nanoparticles(AuNPs) functionalized with supiamolecular macrocycles are versatile and diverse hybrid nanoinaterials,which combine and enhance the characteristics of the two components.In this mini-review,we summarize the recent research progress on the synthesis and assembly of AuNPs functionalized with different supramoleciilar macrocyclic compounds,i.e.,crown ethers,cyclophanes, cyclodextrins(CDs),cucurbit[n]urils(CB[n]),calix[n]arenes,and pillar[n]arenes(P[n]A).Meanwhile, applications of these supramoleciilar hybrid nanomaterials in the fields of sensors,biomedicine and plasmonic devices are also presented.     

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles with polystyrylcarboxylate ligands

Silver nanoparticles stabilized by polystyrylmonocaboxylate ligands with varied chain lengths are synthesized via the low-temperature reduction of silver polystyrylmonocaboxylate with triethylamine. Silver nanoparticles have small dimensions, narrow size distributions, high stability, and ability to redisperse in nonpolar solvents. The kinetic features of the reaction are studied via high-performance liquid chromatography; UV, visible and IR spectroscopy; and transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that the reduction of silver occurs in the cores of reverse micelle species organized by diphilic macromolecules of silver polystyrylmonocarboxylates.     

Gold complexes with potentially tri- and tetradentate phosphinothiolate ligands

Reactions of [Au(PPh3)Cl], (Bu4N)[AuCl4] and the organometallic gold complex [Au(damp-C1,N)Cl2] (damp- = 2-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)phenyl) with the potentially tri- and tetradentate proligands PhP(C6H3-SH-2-R-3)2 (H2L1a, R = SiMe3; H2L1b, R = H) and P(C6H4-SH-2)3 (H3L2) result in the formation of mono- or dinuclear gold complexes depending on the precursor used. Monomeric complexes of the type [AuL1Cl] are formed upon the reaction with [Au(damp-C1,N)Cl2], but small amounts of dinuclear [AuL1]2 complexes with gold in two different oxidation states, +1 and +3, have been isolated as side-products. The dinuclear compounds are obtained in better yields from [AuCl4]-. A dinuclear complex having two Au(III) centers can be isolated from the reaction of [Au(PPh3)Cl] with H3L2, whereas from the reaction with H2L1b the mononuclear [Au(Ph3P)HL1b] is obtained, which contains a three-coordinate gold atom. Comparatively short gold-gold distances have been found in the dinuclear complexes (2.978(2) and 3.434(1) A). They are indicative of weak gold-gold interactions, which is unusual for gold(III).     

Gold(I) complexes with tertiary phosphine sulfide ligands

Phosphine sulfides and their gold(I) complexes with general formula R₃P=S—Au—X (X = Cl^–, Br^– or CN^–) were prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, i.r. and ³¹P-n.m.r. spectroscopy. A decrease in the i.r. frequency of the P=S bond in the ligands upon complexation, is indicative of S coordination to gold (I). The ³¹P-n.m.r. spectra revealed that electronegativity of the substituents and angles between them were the two most important factors influencing the ³¹P-n.m.r. chemical shifts. The phosphorus resonance was observed to be more downfield in alkyl substituted phosphine sulfides as compared to the aryl substituted phosphine sulfides. Ligand scrambling in the Cy₃P=S—Au—CN complex in solution, to form [(Cy₃P=S)₂Au]⁺ and [Au(CN)₂]^–, was investigated by ¹³C and ¹⁵N-n.m.r. spectroscopy. Equilibrium constants (K _eq) for scrambling of the Cy₃P=S—Au—CN complex and for its analogue, Cy₃P=Se—Au—CN were measured by integrating the ¹³C-n.m.r. at 297 K and were found to be 0.147 and 1.81 respectively.     

Gold(I) complexes with thiolate and triphenylphosphine ligands

The reaction of [AuCl(PPh₃)] with Pb(SR)₂(R = C₂H₅, C₆H₅, CH₂C₆H₅, C₆F₅, C₆H₂Me₃-2,4,6, Prⁱ and Bu^t) provides a clean method to obtain complexes of the type [Au(SR)(PPh₃)] in good yields. The new compounds have been characterized by IR, ¹H, ³¹P, ¹⁹F and ³¹C NMR. A study by FAB mass spectrometry indicates that an ion-molecule aggregation process takes place.     

Gold nanoparticles show electroactivity: counting and sorting nanoparticles upon impact with electrodes

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in aqueous 0.10 M HCl are shown to be electroactive at oxidising potentials greater than 1.0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) by means of voltammetric monitoring of AuNP-electrode collisions. The method promises the use of anodic particle coulometry for the detection and characterisation of the AuNPs.     

Gold nanoparticles protected with pH and temperature-sensitive diblock copolymers

Aqueous dispersions of gold nanoparticles protected with a stimuli-sensitive diblock copolymer were studied as a function of pH and temperature. Poly(methacrylic acid)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), PMAA-b-PNIPAM, copolymer was synthesized using the RAFT technique. A one-pot method utilizing the dithiobenzoate functionalized polymer was used to prepare gold nanoparticles protected with PMAA-b-PNIPAM. The gold nanoparticles coated with block copolymers, with the PNIPAM block bound to the particle surface and PMAA as an outer block form stimuli-sensitive aggregates in water. The changes in the absorption maxima of the surface plasmon resonance, SPR, of the gold particles and in the size of the aggregates were investigated as a function of pH and temperature. pH was observed to affect the size of the aggregates, whereas the effect of temperature was moderate. However, a blue shift in the SPR was observed both with decreasing pH and increasing temperature. Whereas the PMAA blocks control the colloidal stability of the particles and their aggregates, the thermo-sensitive PNIPAM blocks have a noticeable effect on the polarity of the immediate surroundings of the particles.     

Gold(I) complexes with selenones and triphenylphosphine as ligands

A number of mixed ligand complexes of gold(I) with various selenones and Ph₃P, [Ph₃PAuSe=C<]Cl have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, i.r. and n.m.r. methods. A decrease in the i.r. frequency of the C=Se mode of selenones upon complexation is indicative of gold(I) binding viaa selenone group. An upfield shift in the ¹³ C-n.m.r. for the C=Se resonance of selenones and downfield shifts in ³¹P-n.m.r. for the Ph₃P moiety are consistent with the selenium coordination to gold(I). Available data in the literature suggest that P–Au–Se type complexes are usually linear.     

Gold complexes containing organoselenium and organotellurium ligands

This article reviews the synthesis, structures, reactions and spectroscopic studies of gold complexes containing organoselenium and organotellurium ligands, i.e. compounds containing an Au–Se–C and Au–Te–C unit. The literature up to June 2009 has been covered. Appendix 1 lists important structural data of complexes which have been characterised by X-ray diffraction, whilst Appendix 2 contains a compilation of ⁷⁷Se and ¹²⁵Te NMR data for these compounds.     

Gold(I) catalysts with bifunctional P, N ligands

A series of phosphanes with imidazolyl substituents were prepared as hemilabile PN ligands. The corresponding gold(I) complexes were tested as bifunctional catalysts in the Markovnikov hydration of 1-octyne, as well as in the synthesis of propargylamines by the three component coupling reaction of piperidine, benzaldehyde, and phenylacetylene. While the activity in the hydration of 1-octyne was low, the complexes are potent catalysts for the three component coupling reaction. In homogeneous solution the conversions to the respective propargylamine were considerably higher than under aqueous biphasic conditions. The connectivity of the imidazolyl substituents to the phosphorus atom, their substitution pattern, as well as the number of heteroaromatic substituents have pronounced effects on the catalytic activity of the corresponding gold(I) complexes. Furthermore, formation of polymetallic species with Au(2), Au(3), and Au(4) units has been observed and the solid-state structures of the compounds [(5)(2)Au(3)Cl(2)]Cl and [(3c)(2)Au(4)Cl(2)]Cl(2) (3c = tris(2-isopropylimidazol-4(5)-yl phosphane, 5 = 2-tert-butylimidazol-4(5)-yldiphenyl phosphane) were determined. The gold(I) complexes of imidazol-2-yl phosphane ligands proved to be a novel source for bis(NHC)gold(I) complexes (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene).     

Multidentate thioether ligands coating gold nanoparticles

The design and synthesis of oligomeric ligands based on benzylic thioethers is presented together with their ability to enwrap and stabilize gold nanoparticles with diameters below 2 nm, which become--with increasing length of the oligomer--more monodisperse and stable.     

Soluble IF-ReS2 nanoparticles by surface functionalization with terpyridine ligands

A major drawback in the application of layered chalcogenide nanoparticles/tubes is their inertness to chemical and biological modification and functionalization. Their potential use in composite materials might be greatly enhanced by improving the chalcogenide/matrix interface bonding. A novel modification strategy for layered chalcogenide nanoparticles based on the chalcophilic affinity of metals and the chelating terpyridine is reported. The terpyridine anchor group can be conjugated to fluorescent tags or hydrophilic/hydrophobic groups that confer solubility in various solvents to the otherwise insoluble chalcogenide nanoparticles. The functionalized particles are characterized using TEM/HRTEM, optical and vibrational spectroscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy.     

Surface states of titanium dioxide nanoparticles modified with enediol ligands

Control of surface states of titanium dioxide nanoparticles using 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylamine (dopamine) and 3,4-dihydrophenylacetic acid, which act as ligands to the undercoordinated surface sites (carrier traps), is demonstrated by electrochemical techniques. The deepest traps were found to be most reactive and are selectively removed by the addition of the ligands which enhances the kinetics of electron accumulation in the film. Furthermore, a shift in the Fermi level to more positive potentials was detected for electrodes modified with the negatively charged ligand (3,4-dihydrophenylacetic acid) compared to that of electrodes modified with the positively charged ligand (dopamine). The presence of the negative charge on the ligand also contributed to the underpotential of hydrogen evolution on 3,4-dihydrophenylacetic acid-modified electrodes.     

Gold nanoparticles stabilized by thioether dendrimers

Ligand-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) are promising materials for nanotechnology with applications in electronics, catalysis, and sensors. These applications depend on the ability to synthesize stable and monodisperse NPs. Herein, the design and synthesis of two series of dendritic thioether ligands and their ability to stabilize Au NPs is presented. The dendrimers have 1,3,5-trisubstituted benzene branching units bridged by either meta-xylene or ethylene moieties. A comparison between the two ligands shows how both size control and the stability of the NPs are influenced by the nature of the ligand-NP wrapping interaction. The meta-xylene-bridged ligands provided NPs with a narrow size distribution centered around a diameter of 1.2 nm, whereas the NPs formed with ethylene-bridged dendrimers lack long-term stability with NP aggregation detected by UV/Vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The bulkier tert-butyl-functionalized meta-xylene bridges form larger ligand shells that inhibit further growth of the NPs and thus provide a simple route to stable and monodisperse Au NPs that may find use as functional components in nanoelectronic devices.     

Gold nanoparticles reinforce self-healing microgel multilayers

We report on the finding that absorption of citrate-stabilized Au nanoparticles into microgel/polyelectrolye multilayer thin films results in an increase in the resistance of those films to strain-induced damage in the dry state while maintaining the remarkable self-healing properties of the films following rehydration. Films were fabricated atop elastomeric poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrates by a centrifuge-assisted layer-by-layer technique using anionic hydrogel microparticles (microgels) and cationic linear polymers as the building blocks. Gold nanoparticles were embedded into swollen hydrogel films by a simple immersion method wherein the Coulombic interactions between the anionic Au particles and the polycation are likely important. After drying, the mechanical properties of films were inferred from the observation of cracks/wrinkles formed during stretching of the elastomeric substrate. As-prepared (no Au) hydrogel films revealed the presence of damage perpendicular to the stretching direction (10% strain), as observed previously. However, Au nanoparticle-doped films displayed significantly reduced damage under identical stretching conditions while forming cracks and wrinkles under higher strains (20?C30%). Importantly, all films displayed excellent self-healing behavior upon rehydration regardless of Au content, suggesting that the nanoparticle toughening effect does not interfere with the film mobility required to achieve autonomic repair.     

Stable dispersions of silver nanoparticles in carbon dioxide with fluorine-free ligands

Iso-stearic acid, a short, stubby compound with branched, methylated tails has been shown to have high solubility in carbon dioxide. Tail solvation by carbon dioxide makes iso-stearic acid a good choice for use as a ligand to sterically stabilize metallic nanoparticles. Iso-stearic acid coated silver nanoparticles have been stably dispersed in carbon dioxide with hexane cosolvent. Neat carbon dioxide has successfully dispersed iso-stearic acid coated silver nanoparticles that had been deposited on either quartz or polystyrene surfaces. These results are the first reports of sterically stabilized nanoparticles in carbon dioxide without the use of any fluorinated compounds.     

Identifying G-quadruplex-binding ligands using DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles

The G-rich overhang of human telomere tends to form a G-quadruplex structure, and G-quadruplex formation can effectively inhibit telomerase activity in most cancer cells. Therefore, it is important to identify the formation and properties of the G-quadruplex, with the particular aim of selecting G-quadruplex-binding ligands that could potentially lead to the development of anticancer therapeutic agents. With this goal in mind, we report a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay system for the identification of G-quadruplex ligands using DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles (DNA-GNPs) as the fluorescence quencher and a carboxyfluorescein (FAM)-tagged human telomeric sequence (F-GDNA) as the recognition probe. A thiolated complementary strand of human telomeric DNA (cDNA), which first adheres to the surface of the GNPs and then hybridizes with F-GDNA, results in the fluorescence quenching of F-GDNA by the GNPs. However, fluorescence is restored when single-stranded F-GDNA folds into a G-quadruplex structure upon the binding of quadruplex ligands, leading to the release of F-GDNA from the surface of the GNPs. Combined data from fluorescence measurements and CD spectroscopy indicated that ligands selected by this FRET method could induce GDNA to form a G-quadruplex. Therefore, this FRET G-quadruplex assay is a simple and effective approach to identify quadruplex-binding ligands, and, as such, it promises to provide a solid foundation for the development of novel anticancer therapeutic agents.     

纳米金在DNA生物传感器和基因芯片研究中的应用

综述了近年来纳米金在DNA生物传感器及基因芯片中的研究、应用和发展,并对其在生物科技方面的发展趋势进行了展望。参考文献31篇。