| This dissertation describes the design, synthesis, and supramolecular surface chemistry of bi- and tri-dentate surface anchors for nanoscience and nanobiotechnology. Molecular electronic device candidates, based on the tridentate surface anchor 2,4,9-trithia-tricyclo[3.3.1.13,7]decane, were used to bridge two ruthenium metal clusters. These well-designed ruthenium complexes were used as nanometer-sized molecular connector/metal cluster models to investigate the surface binding characteristics of tridentate surface anchor-metal junctions.; Bi-dentate surface anchors, 1,4-dimercapto-2,3-dimethyl-butane- 2,3-diol and 4,5-dimethyl-2-(4-vinyl-phenyl)-[1,3,2]dioxaborolane-4,5-dithiol, were synthesized. They were used as ligands for stabilizing gold nanoparticles by two methods: direct reduction reaction, and ligand exchange reaction with triphenylphosphine-stabilized gold nanoparticles. The orientation of the bi-dentate surface anchor-based self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on the flat gold surface was studied by Polarization Modulation Fourier Transform Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy (PM-FTIRRAS), which showed freestanding surface binding capability of the bi-dentate surface anchors.; New methods to conjugate carbohydrates on the surfaces of gold nanoparticles by the tridentate surface anchor, 2,4,9-trithia-tricyclo[3.3.1.13,7 ]decane, were studied. Several derivatives of 7-substituted-2,4,9-trithia-tricyclo[3.3.1.1 3,7]decane were designed and synthesized for this purpose. Two different functional groups, methoxyamino group and terminal alkyne group, can be used to bind to reductive sugars and azido-sugars respectively. These compounds were used as ligands for stabilizing gold nanoparticles by ligand exchange reaction with triphenylphosphine-stabilized gold nanoparticles. The PM-FTIRRAS characterizations of the tri-dentate surface anchor SAM on flat gold surfaces were also studied. |
