Gold nanocrystals stabilized by a chemisorbed mixture of a long-chain alkane thiol, namely dodecanethiol (95%), and a long-chain dodecanethiol incorporating a receptor, namely 12- mercaptododecyl-1-uracil (5%), have been prepared. In solution, these nanocrystals recognize and selectively bind a long-chain alkane incorporating a complementary substrate, namely, N, N'-2, 6-pyridinediylbis [undecamide].
