Assembling covalently linked nanocrystals and nanotubes through click chemistry

Abstract

The click reaction involving the Huisgen 1,3-cycloaddition reaction between azide and ethynyl groups has been employed to obtain assemblies of nanostructures. The click reaction between gold nanorods capped with azidoalkane- and alkyne-thiols yields chains and complex assemblies, accompanied by a large red shift of the longitudinal surface plasmon band. A similar reaction between CdSe nanocrystals results in a splitting of the photoluminescence band, possibly due to exciton splitting. Carbon nanotubes decorated by covalently linked gold nanoparticles have been obtained through click chemistry. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.