Deoxycholate-Assisted Photochirogensis Of Silver Nanoparticles

The Silver nanoparticles with chiroptical feature have been prepared via chiral transfer through supramolecular interaction during the photoirradiation of silver salt with the assistance of chiral environment provided by sodium deoxycholate at pH 9.7. The pH value plays a significant role for the formation of optically active silver nanoparticles, which may be due to the changes in distance and conformation caused by the addition of hydroxy anion. The as-synthesized silver nanoparticles exhibit the typical surface plasmon absorption, and most importantly, the positive circular dichroism signal in CD spectrum. This finding may be fundamentally important, on the one hand, in term of the fact that chiral photochemistry is extendable to the hot field of inorganic nanomaterials. On the other hand, the as-prepared chiral silver nanoparticles may find their application in chiral opto-electronic switches, the catalysts for asymmetric organic synthesis, or the host for chiral organic photochemistry.