Chemical and heating treatments of ionic monolayer-protected clusters (IMPCs) with different surface counter anions.

This paper shows an in-depth study on the chemical and thermal responses of two ionic monolayer-protected gold clusters (Oct(4)N(+-)Br- and Oct(4)N(+-)O(3)SS-IMPCs). Two IMPCs displayed completely different phase-transfer behaviors when the solutions were in contact with the aqueous solution containing N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)glycine (tiopronin). Not Oct(4)N(+-)O(3)SS-IMPCs but Oct(4)N(+-)Br-IMPCs experienced a facile phase transfer from the organic layer to the aqueous layer, which was resulted from the displacement of ionic ligands by tiopronin monolayers on the gold nanoparticle surface.

Synthesis of tetraoctylammonium-protected gold nanoparticles with improved stability.

This paper shows that an introduction of thiosulfate anions in place of bromide anions greatly improves both chemical and thermal stability of tetraoctylammonium-protected gold nanoparticles. Tetraoctylammonium thiosulfate [(Oct)4N+-O3SS]-protected gold nanoparticles are synthesized by the reduction of (Oct)4N+-AuCl4 to Au(I)-SSO3-, followed by the addition of sodium borohydride. The presence of thiosulfate anions instead of bromide anions on the surface of gold nanoparticles results in a significant dampening of the surface plasmon band of gold at 526 nm due to the strong interaction between thiosulfate and the gold nanoparticle surface.