Chiral functionalization of optically inactive monolayer-protected silver nanoclusters by chiral ligand-exchange reactions

Systematics of stable copper and silver clusters protected by small bite chelating bidentate sulfur and selenium ligands related to their polyhedral cavities: analogies to aliphatic compounds and three-dimensional spherical aromatic systems

Silver and copper clusters capped by external chelating dithiolate ligands can be classified according to the cavities in their central coinage metal polyhedra. Silver clusters composed exclusively of fused tetrahedra are analogous to simple saturated organic compounds. The only interstitial atom that can be fit into an Ag4 tetrahedron is hydrogen. Silver polyhedra with larger trigonal prismatic or cubic cavities, including highly distorted cubic cavities, can accommodate halide and chalcogenide anions. The still larger 12-vertex icosahedral and cuboctahedral coinage metal cavities can accommodate oxoanions of the types SO32- and SO42- and their heavier congeners or alternatively interstitial coinage or platinum group metals leading to central M'@M12 units. Copper clusters with central cuboctahedra and silver clusters with central icosahedra possessing interstitial metal atoms approximate sphericality and provide examples of electron-rich metal superatoms with an average metal oxidation state of less than +1. Such copper cluster superatoms have two extra electrons corresponding to a filled 1S2 superatomic orbital. The silver cluster superatoms are electron richer with eight extra electrons corresponding to filled 1S2 + 1P6 superatomic orbitals. In these silver clusters seven or eight faces of the central Ag12 icosahedron are capped by additional silver atoms in order to provide these additional electrons.

Synthesis and Characterization of Bimetallic Nanoclusters Stabilized by Chiral and Achiral Polyvinylpyrrolidinones. Catalytic C(sp3)-H Oxidation

Second-generation chiral-substituted poly-N-vinylpyrrolidinones (CSPVPs) (-)-1R and (+)-1S were synthesized by free-radical polymerization of (3aR,6aR)- and (3aS,6aS)-5-ethenyl-tetrahydro-2,2-dimethyl-4H-1,3-dioxolo[4,5-c]pyrrol-4-one, respectively, using thermal and photochemical reactions. They were produced from respective d-isoascorbic acid and d-ribose. In addition, chiral polymer (-)-2 was also synthesized from the polymerization of (S)-3-(methoxymethoxy)-1-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one. Molecular weights of these chiral polymers were measured using HRMS, and the polymer chain tacticity was studied using ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Chiral polymers (-)-1R, (+)-1S, and (-)-2 along with poly-N-vinylpyrrolidinone (PVP, MW 40K) were separately used in the stabilization of Cu/Au or Pd/Au nanoclusters. CD spectra of the bimetallic nanoclusters stabilized by (-)-1R and (+)-1S showed close to mirror-imaged CD absorption bands at wavelengths 200-300 nm, revealing that bimetallic nanoclusters' chiroptical responses are derived from chiral polymer-encapsulated nanomaterials. Chemo-, regio-, and stereo-selectivity was found in the catalytic C-H group oxidation reactions of complex bioactive natural products, such as ambroxide, menthofuran, boldine, estrone, dehydroabietylamine, 9-allogibberic acid, and sclareolide, and substituted adamantane molecules, when catalyst Cu/Au (3:1) or Pd/Au (3:1) stabilized by CSPVPs or PVP and oxidant H₂O₂ or t-BuOOH were applied. Oxidation of (+)-boldine N-oxide 23 using NMO as an oxidant yielded 4,5-dehydroboldine 27, and oxidation of (-)-9-allogibberic acid yielded C6,15 lactone 47 and C6-ketone 48.

Fluorescent metal quantum clusters: an updated overview of the synthesis, properties, and biological applications

A brief history of metal quantum clusters, their synthesis methods, physical properties, and an updated overview of their applications is provided.

Circularly polarized luminescence in chiral silver nanoclusters

Sets of mirror image circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) spectra are for the first time demonstrated using enantiomeric dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA)-capped silver nanoclusters.

How to control optical activity in organic-silver hybrid nanoparticles

The mechanisms that originate and control optical activity in organic-metal hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) are identified using a time-perturbed density functional theory. Electronic circular dichroism (CD) is studied in terms of the intrinsic chirality of the ligands, the number of ligands and the induced chirality by the arrangement of the ligands on the NP. Left-handed cysteine and achiral methylthio ligands adsorbed on an icosahedral silver NP are investigated. The analysis of CD allows the identification of the spectral regions when the induced chirality by the ligand array dominates over the intrinsic chirality of the ligands, determining conditions for CD control and enlargement. These results would be significant in the discussion of experimental CD spectra of organic-metal hybrid NPs, which might allow the development of new strategies to improve the sensitivity of chiroptical spectroscopies for the identification of bio and organic molecules.

Histidine-mediated synthesis of chiral fluorescence gold nanoclusters: insight into the origin of nanoscale chirality

Strongly emitting chiral AuNCs are prepared and the origins of the optical activity are discussed from the viewpoint of the intrinsically chiral core model and the dissymmetric field effect.

Chiral 38-gold-atom nanoclusters: synthesis and chiroptical properties

Enantioselective synthesis of chiral Au38 nanoclusters is achieved with chiral 2-phenylpropane-1-thiol (abbreviated as R/S-PET, organic soluble), captopril and glutathione (water soluble) as the respective ligand. The circular dichroism (CD) spectra of Au38 (R-PET)24 and Au38 (S-PET)24 show multiple bands which are precisely mirror-imaged, while their normal optical absorption spectra are identical with each other and also superimposable with that of the racemic Au38 (SCH2 CH2 Ph)24 nanoclusters. The observed CD signals are not from the chiral ligands themselves (which only give rise to CD signals in the UV (<250 nm), rather than in the visible wavelength region). Chiral Au38 nanoclusters with different types of ligands are further compared. Although the Au38 core is intrinsically chiral, different chiral ligands are found to largely influence the chiroptical response of the overall nanocluster. Thus, the chiral response of ligand-protected nanoclusters has both contributions from the metal core and the ligand shell around it. These optically active nanoclusters hold promise in future applications such as chiral sensing and catalysis.

Synthesis and characterization of chiral Ag2S and Ag2S–Zn nanocrystals

Ag₂S–Zn NCs exhibited tunable PL emission at 500–700 nm and a clear mirror-image relationship in their CD signals.

Thiolate-protected Ag₃₂ clusters: mass spectral studies of composition and insights into the Ag-thiolate structure from NMR

Clusters composed of a 32 silver atom core, protected with thiolates of glutathione (GSH) and N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)glycine (MPGH), were synthesized by a solid-state route in milligram scale. They do not exhibit surface plasmon resonance unlike their larger sized nanoparticle analogues but show molecule-like features in absorption and luminescence spectra, falling in the visible window. The compositions Ag₃₂SG₁₉ (SG: thiolate of glutathione) and Ag₃₂MPG₁₉ (MPG: thiolate of MPGH) were identified from electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS). Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) was not successful for -SG protected clusters as reported before, but for Ag₃₂MPG₁₉ a peak at 6.1 kDa was seen at a threshold laser intensity. This peak shifted to low mass region with increasing laser intensity due to systematic losses of Ag₂S. Further confirmation of the composition Ag₃₂SG₁₉ was made using various studies such as XPS and EDAX. One-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) NMR spectroscopic investigations of Ag₃₂SG₁₉ provided interesting spectral features which indicated the dominant -[SR-Ag-SR]- structural motif. This structural motif as the predominant entity is found for the first time in silver clusters.

Ligand-exchange synthesis of selenophenolate-capped Au25 nanoclusters

We report the synthesis and characterization of selenophenolate-capped 25-gold-atom nanoclusters via a ligand-exchange approach. In this method, phenylethanethiolate (PhCH(2)CH(2)S) capped Au(25) nanoclusters are utilized as the starting material, which is subject to ligand-exchange with selenophenol (PhSeH). The as-obtained cluster product is confirmed to be selenophenolate-protected Au(25) nanoclusters through characterization by electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis (EA), UV-Vis and (1)H/(13)C NMR spectroscopies. The ligand-exchange synthesis of [Au(25)(SePh)(18)](-)[(C(8)H(17))(4)N](+) nanoclusters demonstrates that the core size of gold nanoclusters is retained in the thiolate-to-selenolate exchange process and that the 18 surface thiolate ligands can be completely exchanged by selenophenolate, rather than giving rise to a mixed ligand shell on the cluster. The two types of Au(25)L(18) (L = thiolate or selenolate) nanoclusters also show some differences in stability and optical properties.

Ag7 AND Ag8 QUANTUM CLUSTERS SUPPORTED ON ALUMINA: NEW CATALYSTS FOR ORGANIC REACTIONS

Silver quantum clusters (QCs) stabilized by mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) have been synthesized at room temperature from Ag nanoparticles through an interfacial etching process. The as-synthesized red emitting QCs were coated on alumina and the supported clusters have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX) and fluorescence spectroscopy. Catalytic activity of Ag QCs supported on alumina have been exploited for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol in presence of sodium borohydride. The reaction followed pseudo-first order kinetics. The catalyst separated from the product remains active and can be recycled several times. Other nitroaromatic compounds have also been tested. Synthesis of the solid phase catalyst, applications and detailed kinetic studies of the reduction of 4-nitrophenol are reported.

Size dependence of chiroptical activity in colloidal quantum dots

The synthesis of chiral penicillamine-capped CdS and CdSe quantum dots (QDs) was adjusted to control the size of the nanoparticles. This, together with size separation, allowed for simultaneous tuning of absorption, circular dichroism (CD), and fluorescence on a wide wavelength range. Band edge transitions were accompanied by circular dichroism peaks which red-shifted together with the increase in particle size. The clear correlation between absorption and CD bands as well as between absorption bands and size in semiconductor QDs was used to derive an experimental scaling law for optical activity. The decrease in the intensity of circular dichroism-to-absorption ratio (dissymmetry) with the increase in particle size was stronger than linear, probably exponential. In addition, strong material type dependence was observed. The CD line shape appeared to be sensitive to the nature of the transition and may thus serve as a tool for sorting out the electronic states of the QDs. Fluorescence-detected circular dichroism (FDCD) was introduced as a new probe of optically active fluorescent nanoparticles. The analysis of the size and material dependence of the chiroptical induction effect leads to the conclusion that it is primarily an electronic interaction effect between the adsorbed chiral molecules and the electron-hole states.

Chiral inorganic nanoparticles: origin, optical properties and bioapplications

Chirality of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) is an emerging and hot topic in nanoresearch in the past several years. Many novel and interesting properties of chiral NPs have been explored and studied, which highlight their importance in both fundamental research and potential applications. This review summarizes recent progress in the study of origins, optical properties and bioapplications of chiral NPs, and future developments in this research area are also discussed.

Silicification of peptide-coated silver nanoparticles--A Biomimetic soft chemistry approach toward chiral hybrid core-shell materials

Silica and silver nanoparticles are relevant materials for new applications in optics, medicine, and analytical chemistry. We have previously reported the synthesis of pH responsive, peptide-templated, chiral silver nanoparticles. The current report shows that peptide-stabilized nanoparticles can easily be coated with a silica shell by exploiting the ability of the peptide coating to hydrolyze silica precursors such as TEOS or TMOS. The resulting silica layer protects the nanoparticles from chemical etching, allows their inclusion in other materials, and renders them biocompatible. Using electron and atomic force microscopy, we show that the silica shell thickness and the particle aggregation can be controlled simply by the reaction time. Small-angle X ray scattering confirms the Ag/peptide@silica core-shell structure. UV-vis and circular dichroism spectroscopy prove the conservation of the silver nanoparticle chirality upon silicification. Biological tests show that the biocompatibility in simple bacterial systems is significantly improved once a silica layer is deposited on the silver particles.

Chiral CdTe Quantum Dots

Quantum dots (QDs) are fluorescent semiconductor (e.g. II-VI) nanocrystals, which have a strong characteristic spectral emission. This emission is tunable to a desired energy by selecting variable particle size, size distribution and composition of the nanocrystals. QDs have recently attracted enormous interest due to their unique photophysical properties and range of potential applications in photonics and biochemistry.The main aim of our work is develop new materials based chiral quantum dots (QDs) and establish fundamental principles influencing the structure and properties of chiral QDs. Here we report the quantum efficiency control in cysteine capped CdTe quantum dots (QDs) by varying ratios of enantiomeric stabilizers. We also demonstrate that the circular dichroism (CD) of CdTe QDs can be introduced by utilizing the mixture of penicilamine and cysteine stabilizers of the same chirality. This approach results in QDs with the enhanced CD activity, but causes a decrease in the quantum yield and widening of the emission due to the presence of chiral defects at the nanoparticle surface. We believe that these new QDs could find important applications as fluorescent assays and sensors (or probes) in asymmetric synthesis, catalysis, enantioseparation, biochemical analysis and medical diagnostics.

Electronic Structure of Ligand-Passivated Gold and Silver Nanoclusters

Gold and silver nanoclusters have unique molecule-like electronic structure and a nonzero HOMO-LUMO gap. Recent advances in X-ray crystal structure determination have led to a new understanding of the geometric structure of gold nanoparticles, with significant implications for electronic structure. The superatom model has been effectively employed to explain properties such as one- and two-photon optical absorption, circular dichroism, EPR spectra, and electronic effects introduced by nanoparticle doping. Future investigations may also lead to an understanding of nanoparticle luminescence, excited-state dynamics, and the metallic to molecular transition.

Metal-metal-interaction-facilitated coordination polymer as a sensing ensemble: a case study for cysteine sensing

A detailed investigation of the absorption and CD signals of Ag(I)-cysteine (Cys) aqueous solutions at buffered or varying pH has allowed us to suggest that coordination polymers are formed upon mixing Ag(I) and Cys bearing a Ag(I)-Cys repeat unit. The formation of the coordination polymers are shown to be facilitated by both the Ag(I)···Ag(I) interaction and the interaction between the side chains in the polymeric backbone. The former allows for an immediate spectral sensing of Cys with enantiomeric discrimination capacity with both high sensitivity and selectivity, and the contribution of the side-chain/side-chain interaction serves to guide extended sensing applications by means of modulating this interaction. With our preliminary data on the corresponding Cu(I)-Cys and Au(I)-Cys systems that exhibited similar spectral signals, we conclude that the M(I)-SR coordination polymers (M = Cu, Ag, or Au) could in general function as spectral sensing ensembles for extended applications. This sensing ensemble involves the formation of coordination polymers with practically no spectral background, thus affording high sensing sensitivity and selectivity.

Luminescent quantum clusters of gold in transferrin family protein, lactoferrin exhibiting FRET

We report the synthesis of highly luminescent, water soluble quantum clusters (QCs) of gold, which are stabilized by an iron binding transferrin family protein, lactoferrin (Lf). The synthesized AuQC@Lf clusters were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL), matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS), FTIR spectroscopy and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy along with picosecond-resolved lifetime measurements. Detailed investigations with FTIR and CD spectroscopy have revealed changes in the secondary structure of the protein in the cluster. We have also studied Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) occurring between the protein and the cluster. The ability of the clusters to sense cupric ions selectively at ppm concentrations was tested. The stability of clusters in widely varying pH conditions and their continued luminescence make it feasible for them to be used for intracellular imaging and molecular delivery, particularly in view of Lf protection.

Ligand exchange reactions on Au(38) and Au(40) clusters: a combined circular dichroism and mass spectrometry study

The thiolate-for-thiolate ligand exchange reaction between the stable Au(38)(2-PET)(24) and Au(40)(2-PET)(24) (2-PET: 2-phenylethanethiol) clusters and enantiopure BINAS (BINAS: 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-dithiol) was investigated by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy in the UV/vis and MALDI mass spectrometry (MS). The ligand exchange reaction is incomplete, although a strong optical activity is induced to the resulting clusters. The clusters are found to be relatively stable, in contrast to similar reactions on [Au(25)(2-PET)(18)](-) clusters. Maximum anisotropy factors of 6.6 × 10(-4) are found after 150 h of reaction time. During the reaction, a varying ratio between Au(38) and Au(40) clusters is found, which significantly differs from the starting material. As compared to Au(38), Au(40) is more favorable to incorporate BINAS into its ligand shell. After 150 h of reaction time, an average of 1.5 and 4.5 BINAS ligands is found for Au(38) and Au(40) clusters, respectively. This corresponds to exchange of 3 and 9 monodentate 2-PET ligands. To show that the limited exchange with BINAS is due to the bidentate nature of the ligand, exchange with thiophenol was performed. The monodentate thiophenol exchange was found to be faster, and more ligands were exchanged when compared to BINAS.

Chiral ionic liquid monolayer-stabilized gold nanoparticles: synthesis, self-assembly, and application to SERS

Chiral ionic liquid monolayer-stabilized gold nanoparticles were synthesized in a two-phase liquid-liquid system and found to self-assemble into ringlike structures at the air/water interface. Control experiments with long-chain ILs revealed that the molecular structure of the CIL significantly affects the formation of the gold nanoparticle ring structures. A possible mechanism based on Marangoni-Bénard convection in evaporating droplets was proposed. These gold nanoparticle structures were shown to yield a large SERS enhancement for Rhodamine 6G.

Quantum sized, thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters

The scientific study of gold nanoparticles (typically 1-100 nm) has spanned more than 150 years since Faraday's time and will apparently last longer. This review will focus on a special type of ultrasmall (<2 nm) yet robust gold nanoparticles that are protected by thiolates, so-called gold thiolate nanoclusters, denoted as Au(n)(SR)(m) (where, n and m represent the number of gold atoms and thiolate ligands, respectively). Despite the past fifteen years' intense work on Au(n)(SR)(m) nanoclusters, there is still a tremendous amount of science that is not yet understood, which is mainly hampered by the unavailability of atomically precise Au(n)(SR)(m) clusters and by their unknown structures. Nonetheless, recent research advances have opened an avenue to achieving the precise control of Au(n)(SR)(m) nanoclusters at the ultimate atomic level. The successful structural determination of Au(102)(SPhCOOH)(44) and [Au(25)(SCH(2)CH(2)Ph)(18)](q) (q = -1, 0) by X-ray crystallography has shed some light on the unique atomic packing structure adopted in these gold thiolate nanoclusters, and has also permitted a precise correlation of their structure with properties, including electronic, optical and magnetic properties. Some exciting research is anticipated to take place in the next few years and may stimulate a long-lasting and wider scientific and technological interest in this special type of Au nanoparticles.

Optical activity and chiral memory of thiol-capped CdTe nanocrystals

CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) passivated with chiral ligands d- and l-cysteinemethylester hydrochloride were prepared and observed to exhibit characteristic CD profiles with symmetrical mirror images depending on the chirality of the capping ligand. The optical activity of CdTe NCs is shown to originate from the distorted CdS shell including chiral capping molecules. The chirality of the NC surface is maintained even after ligand exchange with an achiral thiol, providing an unprecedented chiral memory effect.