title: PEGylated N-Heterocyclic Carbene Anchors Designed To Stabilize Gold Nanoparticles in Biologically Relevant Media.
abstract: N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have emerged as versatile ligands for surface functionalization. Their ease of synthesis and ability to form strong bonds with a range of substrates provide a unique complement to traditional surface modification methods. Gold nanoparticles (NPs) are a particularly useful class of materials whose applications intimately depend on surface functionalization. Here we report the development of PEGylated-NHC ligands for Au-NP surfaces and the first example of NHC-functionalized NPs that are compatible with biologically relevant conditions. Our PEGylated-NHC-Au-NPs are stable toward aggregation in aqueous solutions in the pH range of 3-14, in <250 mM electrolyte solutions, at high and low temperatures (95 and -78 °C), in cell culture media, and in aqueous H2O2 solutions. This work demonstrates for the first time that NHCs can serve as anchors for water-soluble Au-NPs and opens the door to potential biomedical applications of NHC surface anchors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Michelle J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: MacLeod
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Jeremiah A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D002021:Buffers; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D008024:Ligands; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008697:Methane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D002021:Buffers; D003470:Culture Media; D008024:Ligands; C030011:carbene; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006046:Gold; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D008697:Methane