Direct synthesis of large water-soluble functionalized gold nanoparticles using Bunte salts as ligand precursors.

The widespread use of functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in a rapidly increasing number of sensing and biomedical applications has made the development of synthetic methods that combine precise surface chemistry control (functionality) with effective core size control over the range of 1-20 nm crucial. Although a variety of effective methods exist for controlling the core size and functionality during gold nanoparticle synthesis, there is a lack of synthetic methods that permit the direct synthesis of thiol-protected gold nanoparticles with core diameters greater than 5.0 nm.