Functionalization of C60 with gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with attached C60 molecules (C60-GNPs) were prepared through the amination reaction of fullerene C60 with peripheral amino groups located on the surface of gold. Molecules of 4-aminobenzenethiol/1-hexanethiol containing amino groups were introduced onto the surface of gold by the reduction of a gold salt (HAuCl4) with sodium borohydride (NaBH4) in a one-pot way, which was accompanied by anchoring of the targeted thiol mixture on the gold cluster by Au–S bonds. This simple system avoids many difficult reactions and purification processes and does not involve a complicated chemical modification of C60 and exchange reactions of GNPs.