Encapsulation of neutral gold nanoclusters by resorcinarenes

A new strategy for encapsulating neutral nanoclusters is presented which em ploys surfactants with large concave headgroups and multiple contact sites. Au nanoclusters ranging from 3 to 20 nm in diameter were generated in the vapor phase and dispersed into dilute solutions of resorcinarenes 1-3, wher e they were stabilized for up to several months. The resorcinarenes were re adily displaced by dodecanethiol, which resulted in the precipitation of th e larger particles as determined by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and tran smission electron microscopy. The chemisorption of resorcinarenes to the Au cluster surface is most likely mediated by multiple Au-O interactions, whi ch is supported by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.