Chemical Reactivity of Naphthalenecarboxylate-Protected Ruthenium Nanoparticles: Intraparticle Charge Delocalization Derived from Interfacial Decarboxylation

Ruthenium nanoparticles were prepared by thermolytic reduction of RuCl3 in 1,2-propanediol containing sodium 2-naphthalenecarboxylate. Transmission electron microscopic measurements showed that the average diameter of the resulting 2naphthalenecarboxylate-protected ruthenium nanoparticles (RuCOONA) was 1.30 ± 0.27 nm. Interestingly, hydrothermal treatment of the nanoparticles at controlled temperatures led to decarboxylation at the metal−ligand interface, and the naphthalenyl moieties became directly bonded to the metal cores, which was confirmed by infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements. In comparison with the as-produced RuCOONA nanoparticles, the decarboxylated nanoparticles (RuNA) exhibited markedly different optical and electronic properties, as manifested by an apparent red shift of the photoluminescence profiles, which was ascribed to electronic coupling between the particle-bound naphthalene groups. Electrochemical measurements exhibited consistent results where a negative shift was observed of the formal potential of the particle-bound naphthalene moieties. This was attributed to intraparticle charge delocalization that led to extended spilling of nanoparticle core electrons to the naphthalene moieties.