The self-assembly of [60] fullerene-substituted 2,2′-bipyridine on the surface of Au(111) and Au nanoparticles

The cycloaddition reaction of the azide of 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine to [60]fullerene was used to synthesize a novel [60]fullerene derivative, which was employed to self-assemble on the surface of Au(111) and gold nanoparticles. Scanning tunneling microscopy results show that the [60]fullerene derivative forms a self-assembled monolayer on the Au(111) surface spontaneously. Transmission electron micrographs indicate the presence of spherical particles with an average radius of about 10 nm in the nanoparticle preparations.