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Fluorescent Gold Nanoclusters with Interlocked Staples and a Fully Thiolate‐Bound Kernel
Author(s) -
Gan Zibao,
Lin Yuejian,
Luo Lun,
Han Guangmei,
Liu Wei,
Liu Zhengjie,
Yao Chuanhao,
Weng Linhong,
Liao Lingwen,
Chen Jishi,
Liu Xu,
Luo Yi,
Wang Chengming,
Wei Shiqiang,
Wu Zhikun
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201606661
Subject(s) - nanoclusters , fluorescence , crystallography , ligand (biochemistry) , moiety , materials science , chemistry , photochemistry , nanotechnology , stereochemistry , physics , biochemistry , receptor , quantum mechanics
The structural features that render gold nanoclusters intrinsically fluorescent are currently not well understood. To address this issue, highly fluorescent gold nanoclusters have to be synthesized, and their structures must be determined. We herein report the synthesis of three fluorescent Au 24 (SR) 20 nanoclusters (R=C 2 H 4 Ph, CH 2 Ph, or CH 2 C 6 H 4 t Bu). According to UV/Vis/NIR, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and X‐ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) analysis, these three nanoclusters adopt similar structures that feature a bi‐tetrahedral Au 8 kernel protected by four tetrameric Au 4 (SR) 5 motifs. At least two structural features are responsible for the unusual fluorescence of the Au 24 (SR) 20 nanoclusters: Two pairs of interlocked Au 4 (SR) 5 staples reduce the vibration loss, and the interactions between the kernel and the thiolate motifs enhance electron transfer from the ligand to the kernel moiety through the Au−S bonds, thereby enhancing the fluorescence. This work provides some clarification of the structure–fluorescence relationship of such clusters.