Crystal structure of a NIR-Emitting DNA-Stabilized Ag₁₆ Nanocluster

TY - JOUR

T1 - Crystal structure of a NIR-Emitting DNA-Stabilized Ag16 Nanocluster

AU - Cerretani, Cecilia

AU - Kanazawa, Hiroki

AU - Vosch, Tom

AU - Kondo, Jiro

PY - 2019/11/25

Y1 - 2019/11/25

N2 - DNA has been used as a scaffold to stabilize small, atomically monodisperse silver nanoclusters, which have attracted attention due to their intriguing photophysical properties. Herein, we describe the X-ray crystal structure of a DNA-encapsulated, near-infrared emitting Ag16 nanocluster (DNA–Ag16NC). The asymmetric unit of the crystal contains two DNA–Ag16NCs and the crystal packing between the DNA–Ag16NCs is promoted by several interactions, such as two silver-mediated base pairs between 3′-terminal adenines, two phosphate–Ca2+–phosphate interactions, and π-stacking between two neighboring thymines. Each Ag16NC is confined by two DNA decamers that take on a horse-shoe-like conformation and is almost fully shielded from the solvent environment. This structural insight will aid in the determination of the structure/photophysical property relationship for this class of emitters and opens up new research opportunities in fluorescence imaging and sensing using noble-metal clusters.

AB - DNA has been used as a scaffold to stabilize small, atomically monodisperse silver nanoclusters, which have attracted attention due to their intriguing photophysical properties. Herein, we describe the X-ray crystal structure of a DNA-encapsulated, near-infrared emitting Ag16 nanocluster (DNA–Ag16NC). The asymmetric unit of the crystal contains two DNA–Ag16NCs and the crystal packing between the DNA–Ag16NCs is promoted by several interactions, such as two silver-mediated base pairs between 3′-terminal adenines, two phosphate–Ca2+–phosphate interactions, and π-stacking between two neighboring thymines. Each Ag16NC is confined by two DNA decamers that take on a horse-shoe-like conformation and is almost fully shielded from the solvent environment. This structural insight will aid in the determination of the structure/photophysical property relationship for this class of emitters and opens up new research opportunities in fluorescence imaging and sensing using noble-metal clusters.

U2 - 10.1002/anie.201906766

DO - 10.1002/anie.201906766

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31411360

SN - 1433-7851

VL - 58

JO - Angewandte Chemie International Edition

JF - Angewandte Chemie International Edition

ER -