Preparation of functionally PEGylated gold nanoparticles with narrow distribution through autoreduction of auric cation by α-biotinyl-PEG-block-[poly(2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)]

PEGylated gold nanoparticles with biotin moieties installed at the distal end of the PEG tethered chains were prepared by the autoreduction of HAuCl4 catalyzed by alpha-biotinyl-PEG-block-poly[2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (biotinyl-PEG/PAMA) in aqueous medium at room temperature. The size of the gold nanoparticles was controllable in a range of 6-13 nm by changing the initial Au3+/polymer ratio, while retaining their narrow size distribution. The dispersion stability of the nanoparticles in aqueous medium was extremely high even under the condition of salt concentration as high as I = 2.0. Biotinyl-PEG/PAMA-anchored gold nanoparticles underwent specific aggregation in the presence of streptavidin, revealing their promising utility as colloidal sensing systems applicable under biological condition.