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Huang KY, Yang ZQ, Yang MR, Chen TS, Tang S, Sun WM, Yao Q, Deng HH, Chen W, Xie J. Unraveling a Concerted Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Pathway in Atomically Precise Gold Nanoclusters. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:8706-8715. [PMID: 38487838 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c01180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Metal nanoclusters (MNCs) represent a promising class of materials for catalytic carbon dioxide and proton reduction as well as dihydrogen oxidation. In such reactions, multiple proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes are typically involved, and the current understanding of PCET mechanisms in MNCs has primarily focused on the sequential transfer mode. However, a concerted transfer pathway, i.e., concerted electron-proton transfer (CEPT), despite its potential for a higher catalytic rate and lower reaction barrier, still lacks comprehensive elucidation. Herein, we introduce an experimental paradigm to test the feasibility of the CEPT process in MNCs, by employing Au18(SR)14 (SR denotes thiolate ligand), Au22(SR)18, and Au25(SR)18- as model clusters. Detailed investigations indicate that the photoinduced PCET reactions in the designed system proceed via an CEPT pathway. Furthermore, the rate constants of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) have been found to be correlated with both the size of the cluster and the flexibility of the Au-S framework. This newly identified PCET behavior in AuNCs is prominently different from that observed in semiconductor quantum dots and plasmonic metal nanoparticles. Our findings are of crucial importance for unveiling the catalytic mechanisms of quantum-confined metal nanomaterials and for the future rational design of more efficient catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Yuan Huang
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Yang
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Ming-Rui Yang
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Tian-Shui Chen
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Shurong Tang
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Wei-Ming Sun
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Qiaofeng Yao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organic Integrated Circuits, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Hao-Hua Deng
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Jianping Xie
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, 117585, Singapore
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Bhunia S, Mukherjee M, Purkayastha P. Fluorescent metal nanoclusters: prospects for photoinduced electron transfer and energy harvesting. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:3370-3378. [PMID: 38444358 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00021h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Research on noble metal nanoclusters (MNCs) (elements with filled electron d-bands) is progressing forward because of the extensive and extraordinary chemical, optical, and physical properties of these materials. Because of the ultrasmall size of the MNCs (typically within 1-3 nm), they can be applied in areas of nearly all possible scientific domains. The greatest advantage of MNCs is the tunability that can be imposed, not only on their structures, but also on their chemical, physical, and biological properties. Nowadays, MNCs are very effectively used as energy donors and acceptors under suitable conditions and hence act as energy harvesters in solar cells, semiconductors, and biomarkers. In addition, ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer (PET) can be practised using MNCs under various circumstances. Herein, we have focused on the energy harvesting phenomena of Au-, Ag-, and Cu-based MNCs and elaborated on different ways to apply them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumyadip Bhunia
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel.
| | - Manish Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, 251 Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Pradipta Purkayastha
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, WB, India.
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3
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Tavakkoli Yaraki M, Rubio NS, Tukova A, Liu J, Gu Y, Kou L, Wang Y. Spectroscopic Identification of Charge Transfer of Thiolated Molecules on Gold Nanoparticles via Gold Nanoclusters. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:5916-5926. [PMID: 38380514 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Investigation of charge transfer needs analytical tools that could reveal this phenomenon, and enables understanding of its effect at the molecular level. Here, we show how the combination of using gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) and different spectroscopic techniques could be employed to investigate the charge transfer of thiolated molecules on gold nanoparticles (AuNP@Mol). It was found that the charge transfer effect in the thiolated molecule could be affected by AuNCs, evidenced by the amplification of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal of the molecule and changes in fluorescence lifetime of AuNCs. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further revealed that AuNCs could amplify the charge transfer process at the molecular level by pumping electrons to the surface of AuNPs. Finite element method (FEM) simulations also showed that the electromagnetic enhancement mechanism along with chemical enhancement determines the SERS improvement in the thiolated molecule. This study provides a mechanistic insight into the investigation of charge transfer at the molecular level between organic and inorganic compounds, which is of great importance in designing new nanocomposite systems. Additionally, this work demonstrates the potential of SERS as a powerful analytical tool that could be used in nanochemistry, material science, energy, and biomedical fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Tavakkoli Yaraki
- School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Noelia Soledad Rubio
- School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Anastasiia Tukova
- School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Junxian Liu
- School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Garden Point Campus, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
| | - Yuantong Gu
- School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Garden Point Campus, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
| | - Liangzhi Kou
- School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Garden Point Campus, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
| | - Yuling Wang
- School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
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Liao Y, Hu L, Huang J, Liu J, Li P, Zhang S. A facile and novel AIE vesicle as nanoprobe for simple and rapid detection of TNT in water. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2024; 307:123617. [PMID: 37979541 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.123617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Trinitrotoluene (TNT) in water will damage biological tissues and organs of the human body due to its high toxicity and risk. However, the simple and rapid detection of TNT in water is always a challenging task. Herein, we reported a novel aggregation-induced emission-a vesicle (AIE-a-V) as fluorescent nanoprobe for the detection of TNT in water by π-π self-assembly of π-π stacking induced aggregation-emission. The AIE-a-V was spherical in shape with a hydrodynamic diameter of ∼106 nm and possessed robust stability. In addition, the AIE-a-V showed strong fluorescence and its fluorescence would quickly disappear after contact with TNT. Based on this, without any cumbersome operation, the AIE-a-V could detect the presence of TNT in water within 60 s, and its minimum detectable concentration was as low as 50 nM. Moreover, the AIE-a-V could selectively detect TNT in water and would not be affected by other components, including other aromatic compounds, toxic metals, and acid-base. Therefore, the new AIE-a-V with simplicity, rapidity, sensitivity and selectivity have great application potential in the detection of TNT in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Liao
- College of Biomedical Engineering and National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Liangkui Hu
- College of Biomedical Engineering and National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Jingsheng Huang
- College of Biomedical Engineering and National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Junbo Liu
- College of Biomedical Engineering and National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Pengfei Li
- College of Biomedical Engineering and National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Shiyong Zhang
- College of Biomedical Engineering and National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, China.
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Pearl WG, Selvam R, Karmenyan AV, Perevedentseva EV, Hung SC, Chang HH, Shushunova N, Prikhozhdenko ES, Bratashov D, Tuchin VV, Cheng CL. Berberine mediated fluorescent gold nanoclusters in biomimetic erythrocyte ghosts as a nanocarrier for enhanced photodynamic treatment. RSC Adv 2024; 14:3321-3334. [PMID: 38249664 PMCID: PMC10798219 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra08299g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a well-established cancer treatment method that employs light to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing oxidative damage to cancer cells. Nevertheless, PDT encounters challenges due to its oxygen-dependent nature, which makes it less effective in hypoxic tumor environments. To address this issue, we have developed a novel nanocomposite known as AuNC@BBR@Ghost. This nanocomposite combines the advantageous features of erythrocyte ghost membranes, the photoresponsive properties of gold nanoclusters (AuNC) and the anticancer characteristics of Berberine (BBR) for cancer treatment. Our synthesized AuNC efficiently produce ROS, with a 25% increase in efficiency when exposed to near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. By harnessing the oxygen-carrying capacity of erythrocyte ghost cells, AuNC@BBR@Ghost demonstrates a significant improvement in ROS generation, achieving an 80% efficiency. Furthermore, the AuNC exhibit tunable emission wavelengths due to their excellent fluorescent properties. In normoxic conditions, treatment of A549 lung carcinoma cells with AuNC@BBR@Ghost followed by exposure to 808 nm NIR irradiation results in a notable increase in intracellular ROS levels, accelerating cell death. In hypoxic conditions, when A549 cells were treated with AuNC@BBR@Ghost, the erythrocyte ghost acted as an oxygen supplement due to the residual hemoglobin, alleviating hypoxia and enhancing the nanocomposite's sensitivity to PDT treatment. Thus, the AuNC@BBR@Ghost nanocomposite achieves an improved effect by combining the advantageous properties of its individual components, resulting in enhanced ROS generation and adaptability to hypoxic conditions. This innovative approach successfully overcomes PDT's limitations, making AuNC@BBR@Ghost a promising nanotheranostic agent with significant potential for advanced cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wrenit Gem Pearl
- Department of Physics, National Dong Hwa University 97401 Taiwan
| | - Rajakar Selvam
- Department of Physics, National Dong Hwa University 97401 Taiwan
| | | | | | - Shih-Che Hung
- Department of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Tzu-Chi University Hualien 97004 Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Hou Chang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Tzu-Chi University Hualien 97004 Taiwan
| | | | | | - Daniil Bratashov
- Saratov State University Astrakhanskaya Str. 83 Saratov 410012 Russia
| | - Valery V Tuchin
- Saratov State University Astrakhanskaya Str. 83 Saratov 410012 Russia
| | - Chia-Liang Cheng
- Department of Physics, National Dong Hwa University 97401 Taiwan
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Huang KY, Xiu LF, Fang XY, Yang MR, Noreldeen HAA, Chen W, Deng HH. Highly Efficient Luminescence from Charge-Transfer Gold Nanoclusters Enabled by Lewis Acid. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:9526-9533. [PMID: 36200978 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c02724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the complicated intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) behaviors of nanomaterials is crucial to the development of high-quality nanoluminophores for various applications. However, the ICT process in molecule-like metal nanoclusters has been rarely explored. Herein, a proton binding-induced enhanced ICT state is discovered in 6-aza-2-thiothymine-protected gold nanoclusters (ATT-AuNCs). Such an excited-state electron transfer process gives rise to the weakened and red-shifted photoluminescence of these nanoclusters. By the joint use of this newfound ICT mechanism and a restriction of intramolecular motion (RIM) strategy, a red shift in the emission maxima of 30 nm with 27.5-fold higher fluorescence quantum efficiency is achieved after introducing rare-earth scandium ion (Sc3+) into ATT-AuNCs. Furthermore, it is found that upon the addition of Sc3+, the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) rate from ATT-AuNCs to minocycline is largely accelerated by forming a donor-bridge-acceptor structure. This paper offers a simple method to modulate the luminescent properties of metal nanoclusters for the rational design of next-generation sensing platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Yuan Huang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou350004, China
| | - Ling-Fang Xiu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou350004, China
| | - Xiang-Yu Fang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou350004, China
| | - Ming-Rui Yang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou350004, China
| | - Hamada A A Noreldeen
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou350004, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou350004, China
| | - Hao-Hua Deng
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou350004, China
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Bis-Schiff base linkage-triggered highly bright luminescence of gold nanoclusters in aqueous solution at the single-cluster level. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3381. [PMID: 35697695 PMCID: PMC9192726 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30760-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Metal nanoclusters (NCs) have been developed as a new class of luminescent nanomaterials with potential applications in various fields. However, for most of the metal NCs reported so far, the relatively low photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) in aqueous solution hinders their applications. Here, we describe the utilization of bis-Schiff base linkages to restrict intramolecular motion of surface motifs at the single-cluster level. Based on Au22(SG)18 (SG: glutathione) NCs, an intracluster cross-linking system was constructed with 2,6-pyridinedicarboxaldehyde (PDA), and water-soluble gold NCs with luminescence QY up to 48% were obtained. The proposed approach for achieving high emission efficiency can be extended to other luminescent gold NCs with core-shell structure. Our results also show that the content of surface-bound Au(I)-SG complexes has a significant impact on the PDA-induced luminescence enhancement, and a high ratio of Au(I)-SG will be beneficial to increasing the photoluminescence intensity of gold NCs. Boosting the luminescence of atomically precise metal clusters is a main goal in view of applications. Here, the authors describe a strategy to increase the photoluminescence quantum yield of water-soluble gold clusters at the single-cluster level via formation of bis-Schiff base linkages, providing detailed insight into the mechanism.
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Gold Nanocluster-Based Fluorometric Banoxantrone Assay Enabled by Photoinduced Electron Transfer. NANOMATERIALS 2022; 12:nano12111861. [PMID: 35683717 PMCID: PMC9182391 DOI: 10.3390/nano12111861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Monitoring the blood concentration of banoxantrone (AQ4N) is important to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and side effects of this new anticancer prodrug during its clinical applications. Herein, we report a fluorescence method for AQ4N detection through the modulation of the molecule-like photoinduced electron transfer (PET) behavior of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs). AQ4N can electrostatically bind to the surface of carboxylated chitosan (CC) and dithiothreitol (DTT) co-stabilized AuNCs and quench their fluorescence via a Coulomb interaction-accelerated PET process. Under optimized experimental conditions, the linear range of AQ4N is from 25 to 200 nM and the limit of detection is as low as 5 nM. In addition, this assay is confirmed to be reliable based on its successful use in AQ4N determination in mouse plasma samples. This work offers an effective strategy for AQ4N sensing based on fluorescent AuNCs and widens the application of AuNCs in clinical diagnosis and pharmaceutical analysis.
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Huang K, Fang Q, Sun W, He S, Yao Q, Xie J, Chen W, Deng H. Cucurbit[ n]uril Supramolecular Assemblies-Regulated Charge Transfer for Luminescence Switching of Gold Nanoclusters. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:419-426. [PMID: 34989578 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c03917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Host-guest molecular assemblies are highly desirable for precisely controlling the luminescence properties of nanomaterials. Unfortunately, the design of high-quality luminescent nanoswitches is still very challenging due to the low affinity of traditional macrocyclic molecules (e.g., cyclodextrin) and inherently sophisticated electronic structures of nanoemitters. The current work represents the first to fabricate a luminescent nanoswitch using cucurbit[n]uril supramolecular assemblies-regulated luminescence of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs). It is found that, similar to a small-molecule fluorophore-based system, the luminescence of fabricated AuNC-cationic quencher nanohybrids can be reversibly manipulated by cucurbit[7]uril through altering the key parameters of the charge transfer process including the reorganization energy and electronic coupling between charge-transfer reactants. This study demonstrates the crucial role of cucurbit[n]uril host-guest assemblies in modulating the luminescence of AuNCs and their application in luminescence switching, thus offering new avenues for the fabrication and development of optical devices and smart materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyuan Huang
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Quanhui Fang
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Weiming Sun
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Shaobin He
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Qiaofeng Yao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, 117585, Singapore
| | - Jianping Xie
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, 117585, Singapore
| | - Wei Chen
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Haohua Deng
- Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
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Domínguez-Castro A, Frauenheim T. Impact of vibronic coupling effects on light-driven charge transfer in pyrene-functionalized middle and large-sized metalloid gold nanoclusters from Ehrenfest dynamics. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:17129-17133. [PMID: 34355230 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp02890a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Theoretical calculations are an effective strategy to complement and understand the experimental results in atomistic detail. Ehrenfest molecular dynamics simulations based on the real-time time-dependent density functional tight-binding (RT-TDDFTB) approach are performed to reveal for the first time the electron dynamics for the charge separation of pyrene-functionalized middle-sized Au70S20(PH3)16 and large-sized Au108S24(PR3)16 (R = H, CH3, C2H5, C6H5) clusters. The proposed mechanism uncovers an ultrafast and irreversible photoinduced charge transfer from the gold nanocluster (GNC) unit to the pyrene derivative in all cases. By a Fourier transform analysis of the dynamics, the effect of vibronic couplings is highlighted. The Au108S24(PPh3)15PPh2Pyr system exhibits the best performance for charge separation.
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