Achieving organic nanoparticles with redox-active capabilities: synthesis of gold nanoparticles in water as a proof-of-principle

Abstract

Herein, we present a unique approach to easily achieve redox-active nanosized organic particles in aqueous environment using a strategy based on ion association between large organic ions, namely tetraphenylborate anions and thiazole orange cations. The anionic tetraphenylborate associates tightly with the cationic redox-active thiazole orange producing a well-defined meta-stable organic nanoscale particle (73 ± 20 nm). These redox-active nanosized organic particles can act as seed sites for metal reductions and as a proof-of-concept, they were used to reduce gold(III) to gold nanoparticles in a neutral, aqueous environment at room temperature.