Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Oxidation Of Gold Clusters By Thiols, Brian M. Barngrover, Christine M. Aikens

Faculty Publications

The formation of gold–thiolate nanoparticles via oxidation of gold clusters by thiols is examined in this work. Using the BP86 density functional with a triple ζ basis set, the adsorption of methylthiol onto various gold clusters Au_n^Z (n = 1–8, 12, 13, 20; Z = 0, −1, +1) and Au₃₈⁴⁺ is investigated. The rate-limiting step for the reaction of one thiol with the gold cluster is the dissociation of the thiol proton; the resulting hydrogen atom can move around the gold cluster relatively freely. The addition of a second thiol can lead to H_{2 …}