Abstract

Thioethers were used as adsorbates for preparing gold nanoparticles. Different thioether derivatives having from 1 to 4 thioether functionalities were synthesized. Colloids were prepared in a two-phase system, and characterized by ¹H NMR and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The stability of colloids protected by thioethers increases with the number of ligands per molecule. Monothioethers need longer chain lengths or costabilization by (oct)₄NBr in order to give stable, redispersible gold colloids. Gold colloids stabilized by the bis(thioether) 5 could not be redispersed after precipitation. Colloids stabilized by the tris(thioether) 6 were only formed at elevated temperature (60 °C) indicating the need of chain reorientation for attaining stable colloids. Tris(thioether) 7 gave stable colloids at room temperature, which could be redispersed even after precipitation. Tetrakis(thioether) 8 gave the smallest particle size and narrowest size distribution.