A photoresponsive Au25 nanocluster protected by azobenzene derivative thiolates

Yuichi Negishi; Ukyo Kamimura; Mao Ide; Michiyo Hirayama

doi:10.1039/C2NR30830D

A photoresponsive Au₂₅ nanocluster protected by azobenzene derivative thiolates†

Yuichi Negishi,*^ab Ukyo Kamimura,^a Mao Ide^a and Michiyo Hirayama^a

* Corresponding authors

^a Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
E-mail: negishi@rs.kagu.tus.ac.jp
Fax: +81-3-5261-4631
Tel: +81-3-5228-9145

^b Research Institute for Science and Technology, Energy and Environment Photocatalyst Research Division, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan

Abstract

An Au₂₅ cluster protected by azobenzene derivative thiolates (S–Az) ([Au₂₅(S–Az)₁₈]⁻) was synthesized with the aim of producing a photoresponsive Au₂₅ cluster. The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrum of the product revealed that [Au₂₅(S–Az)₁₈]⁻ was synthesized in high purity. Optical absorption spectra of [Au₂₅(S–Az)₁₈]⁻ obtained before and after photoirradiation suggest that the azobenzenes in the ligands of Au₂₅(S–Az)₁₈ isomerize with an efficiency of nearly 100%, both from the trans to cis conformation and from the cis to trans conformation. Furthermore, the redox potential and optical absorption of Au₂₅(S–Az)₁₈ were found to change reversibly due to photoisomerization of azobenzenes.

This article is part of the themed collection: Metallic clusters

Supplementary files

Article information

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C2NR30830D
Article type: Paper
Submitted: 06 Apr 2012
Accepted: 10 May 2012
First published: 15 May 2012

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Nanoscale, 2012,4, 4263-4268

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A photoresponsive Au₂₅ nanocluster protected by azobenzene derivative thiolates

Y. Negishi, U. Kamimura, M. Ide and M. Hirayama, Nanoscale, 2012, 4, 4263 DOI: 10.1039/C2NR30830D

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