Monothiols derived from glycols as agents for stabilizing gold colloids in water: synthesis, self-assembly and use as crystallization templates

Tetraethylene glycol (HO-(C 2 H 4 O) 4 -H) can be monofunctionalized by replacing one of the terminal hydroxy groups with the thiol SH group. The resulting molecule can be self-assembled on gold (111) surfaces. More importantly, this molecule allows the simple one-step preparation of protected, water-soluble gold colloids within a single aqueous phase. Attempts are made to use such protected water-soluble colloids as nucleating ‘seeds’ around which calcium carbonate can be crystallized.