Studies on adsorption of 5-amino tetrazole on silver nanoparticles by SERS and DFT calculations

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies of 5-amino tetrazole (5AT), a tetrazole derivative, in aqueous silver sol at pH similar to 9 and on deposited colloidal silver films were carried out and compared with the normal Raman spectrum of the molecule. The experimentally observed Raman bands along with their corresponding infrared bands were assigned based on the results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The significant changes evidenced between the SERS and the normal Raman spectra combined with the theoretical data obtained for Ag-5AT system demonstrated that the molecule is adsorbed on colloidal Ag particles through the lone pair of electrons of the nitrogen atom. The contribution of the chemical mechanism for the SERS enhancement was proved by the behavior of the electronic absorption spectrum of the Ag colloid upon addition of 5AT. This is further supported by the theoretical calculations that show that the favorable interaction of the frontier orbitals localized on Ag+ and the negatively charged nitrogen from the tetrazole ring leads to the formation of the stable (up to 130 U mol(-1)) charge-transfer complex. The orientation of the adsorbed species with respect to the metal surface was also predicted by applying the surface selection rule. In addition, the feasibility of the formation of the polymeric species has also been discussed.