Copper-Doped CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots: Controllable Photoactivated Copper(I) Cation Storage and Release Vectors for Catalysis

The first photoactivated doped quantum dot vector for metal-ion release has been developed. A facile method for doping copper(I) cations within ZnS quantum dot shells was achieved through the use of metal-dithiocarbamates, with Cu+ ions elucidated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Photoexcitation of the quantum dots has been shown to release Cu+ ions, which was employed as an effective catalyst for the Huisgen [3+2]cycloaddition reaction. The relationship between the extent of doping, catalytic activity, and the fluorescence quenching was also explored.