title: Chirality control for in situ preparation of gold nanoparticle superstructures directed by a coordinatable organogelator.
abstract: Imposing chirality into nanoscale superstructures is a major step forward toward systematic understanding and utilization of nanomaterials. In an attempt to achieve tunable chirality during in situ preparation of hybrid nanomaterials, we here report a novel unimolecular strategy of employing a coordinatable organogelator for the realization of chirality control in the formation of gold nanoparticle superstructures. The work takes advantage of thermally reversible sol-gel transition of the chiral dispersion as template, which causes different micelle properties that can influence the coordination ability between the organogelator and Au(III) ions. Followed by a reduction reaction, gold nanoparticle superstructures with P-helicity were prepared from the sol form of the template through a coordination-induced chiral inversion, whereas those with M-helicity were obtained from the gel form with chiral holding. Such superstructures are solvent-stable and the chirality difference between them could be observed in many solvent environments.
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371.
authors.forename: Liangliang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shaojue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Kim Truc
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ågren
authors.forename: Yanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D044367:Phase Transition; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D006046:Gold