Oxidation of alkanethiol monolayers on gold cluster surfaces

Reaction of ozone with alkanethiol monolayers on gold cluster surfaces is reported. Ozone diffuses through the monolayer and reacts with the head group forming oxidized sulfur on the cluster surface, increasing disorder in the monolayer assembly. During the reaction conducted in toluene, some of the thiols undergo desorption from the surface resulting in increased inter-cluster interaction leading to aggregation and consequent precipitation of the clusters.