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Synthesis of Near-Infrared Emitting Gold Nanoclusters for Biological Applications
Published on: March 22, 2020
Au20 nanocluster protected by hemilabile phosphines.
Xian-Kai Wan1, Zhi-Wei Lin, Quan-Ming Wang
1State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, P. R. China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|August 31, 2012
Summary
Researchers synthesized a novel gold nanocluster, [Au(20)(PPhpy(2))(10)Cl(4)]Cl(2), using bis(2-pyridyl)-phenylphosphine ligands. This unique structure, derived from fused gold building units, exhibits a large energy gap, advancing nanocluster research.
Area of Science:
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Gold nanoclusters are of significant interest due to their unique optical and electronic properties.
- Ligand protection is crucial for stabilizing and isolating discrete gold nanoclusters.
- Understanding the core structure and electronic properties of gold nanoclusters is key to their application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize a novel, ligand-protected gold nanocluster with a unique core structure.
- To investigate the structural and electronic properties of the newly synthesized gold nanocluster.
- To explore the formation mechanism of gold nanoclusters from smaller building units.
Main Methods:
- Reduction of a gold precursor, Au(PPhpy(2))Cl, using sodium borohydride (NaBH(4)).
- Isolation and purification of the resulting gold nanocluster.
- Single crystal X-ray structural analysis to determine the precise atomic arrangement.
- Optical absorption spectroscopy to measure the electronic properties, specifically the HOMO-LUMO gap.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized and isolated a novel phosphine-protected gold nanocluster with the composition [Au(20)(PPhpy(2))(10)Cl(4)]Cl(2).
- Single crystal X-ray analysis revealed a unique Au(20) core formed by the fusion of two Au(11) units sharing two vertices.
- Optical absorption spectroscopy showed a large HOMO-LUMO gap (E(g) ≈ 2.24 eV) for this Au(20) nanocluster.
- This represents the first reported gold nanocluster with a core constructed from incomplete icosahedral Au(11) building blocks.
Conclusions:
- A novel ligand-protected gold nanocluster, [Au(20)(PPhpy(2))(10)Cl(4)]Cl(2), has been synthesized and structurally characterized.
- The unique core structure, derived from fused Au(11) units, provides new insights into the assembly of gold nanoclusters.
- The observed large HOMO-LUMO gap suggests potential applications in areas requiring specific electronic properties.
