Molecular recognition of nucleobases and amino acids by sulphonato-calixnaphthalene-capped silver nanoparticles

The plasmon resonances of sulphonato-calixnaphthalene-capped silver nanoparticles have been used to study the complexation of the nanoparticles with nucleobases and amino acids. Only in the case of the nanoparticles capped with oxacalix[4]naphthalenesultone, does complexation of both nucleobases and certain amino acids occur. The complexation of the aromatic amino acids, phenylalanine and tryptophan, has previously not been observed for calixarene-capped silver nanoparticles.