Single crystals of 1,3-bis(cyanomethoxy)calix [4]arene (1) were grown from Chloroform/Methanol mixture and these were nanodecorated with colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNps). The single crystals were then characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). The nanodecorated crystals were characterized by UV-Visible Absorption Spectroscopy, Transmission Electronic Microscopy (TEM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). In this work, it is shown that the stabilization of the nanoparticles occurs through of the interactions of these with the nitrile group, maintaining their shape and size. . This supramolecular arrangement allows the attachment of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the surface of a single crystal, maintaining their shape and size.
KeywordsAs well as in cyclodextrin 17 and other supramolecular macrocycles 18 , nanodecoration of these compounds would allow the manufacturing of nanoscale devices with potential applications as sensors, switches and new materials having tunable properties 19,20 . In this work, we present the supramolecular analysis of dicyanocalix [4] arene, and the confirmation of the stabilization of nanoparticles by functional -CN group responsible for the formation of the crystal-nanodecoration.
2.MATERIAL AND METHODS
Reagents and instrumentsAll the reagents used were of analytical reagent grade. p-tert-butylcalix [4] arene and gold chloride trihydrate (HAuCl 4 .3H 2 O) (Aldrich, >99%), Na 3 C 6 H 5 O 7 (Sigma-Aldrich), and nanopure water (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany). All Solvents employed for synthesis were commercially available and used as received without further purification. TEM was performed using a Zeiss model EM-109 microscope (Jena, Germany) operating at 80 kV (IBEC, Barcelona, Spain). SEM images were obtained using a high-resolution NOVA NanoSEM 230 instrument (FEI Company) equipped with an energy-dispersive detector.Single-Crystal XRD data were collected at room temperature using a Bruker Kappa CCD diffractometer with graphite-monochromatized MoKα radiation (λ=0.71073 Å). A Shimadzu UV-3101PC spectrophotometer (Shimadzu, Kyoto, Japan) was used. Spectra were recorded between 400 and 700 nm for colloidal nanoparticles. The diffuse reflectance results were converted into absorbance units using Kubelka-Munk conversion for de solid-state compounds.XPS spectra were recorded using a photoelectron spectrometer model 1257 (Perkin Elmer, Physical Electronic Division, Eden Prairie, MN, USA), fitted with an ultra-high-vacuum main chamber, a hemispherical electron analyzer, and an X-ray source that provided unfiltered Al Kα radiation. Energy calibration was accomplished by assigning a binding energy of 284.8 eV to the C 1s peak of adventitious carbon 21 . 5,11,17,
Synthesis of
arene (1)This compound is obtained as described by Zhang 2 . Single-crystals were obtained from a solution of (1) (0.6 mmol) in boiling chloroform (0.5 mL) with hot methanol added dropwise (1 mL). This solution was left for one week, at which point laminar c...