Gold Nanoparticles Bearing an a-Lipoic Acid-based Ligand Shell: Synthesis, Model Complexes and Studies Concerning Phosphorescent Platinum(II)- Functionalisation

The surface functionalisation of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with luminescent platinum complexes has been investigated utilising alpha-lipoic acid derivatives for GNP stabilisation Model complexes have been studied to mimic the chemisorption chemistry required to afford GNPs protected by an alpha lipoic acid based ligand shell with terminal functionalisation suitable for metal coordination and the unambiguous binding of the cyclic disulfide moiety at a zero valent precious metal core through oxidative addition has been confirmed by X ray crystallography Subsequently gold nanoparticles bearing the alpha lipoic acid based ligand shell have been prepared and characterised and a synthetic methodology for the immobilisation of Pt-II luminophores onto their surface has been established