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Controlling the Surface Functionalization of Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles by Sequence‐Defined Macromolecules
Author(s) -
Meer Selina Beatrice,
Seiler Theresa,
Buchmann Christin,
Partalidou Georgia,
Boden Sophia,
Loza Kateryna,
Heggen Marc,
Linders Jürgen,
Prymak Oleg,
Oliveira Cristiano L. P.,
Hartmann Laura,
Epple Matthias
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.202003804
Subject(s) - colloidal gold , macromolecule , nanoparticle , nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy , dynamic light scattering , chemistry , small angle x ray scattering , surface modification , conjugated system , molecule , spectroscopy , materials science , crystallography , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , polymer , scattering , biochemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , optics
Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (diameter about 2 nm) were surface‐functionalized with cysteine‐carrying precision macromolecules. These consisted of sequence‐defined oligo(amidoamine)s (OAAs) with either two or six cysteine molecules for binding to the gold surface and either with or without a PEG chain (3400 Da). They were characterized by 1 H NMR spectroscopy, 1 H NMR diffusion‐ordered spectroscopy (DOSY), small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy. The number of precision macromolecules per nanoparticle was determined after fluorescent labeling by UV spectroscopy and also by quantitative 1 H NMR spectroscopy. Each nanoparticle carried between 40 and 100 OAA ligands, depending on the number of cysteine units per OAA. The footprint of each ligand was about 0.074 nm 2 per cysteine molecule. OAAs are well suited to stabilize ultrasmall gold nanoparticles by selective surface conjugation and can be used to selectively cover their surface. The presence of the PEG chain considerably increased the hydrodynamic diameter of both dissolved macromolecules and macromolecule‐conjugated gold nanoparticles.