Zirconium-Directed Supramolecular Self-Assembly of Coenzyme A@GNCs with Enhanced Phosphorescence for Developing Ultrasensitive Tracer Probe of Dipicolinic Acid, a Biomarker of Bacterial Spores.

Luminescent gold nanoclusters (GNCs) are a class of attractive quantum-sized nanomaterials bridging the gap between organogold complexes and gold nanocrystals. They typically have a core-shell structure consisting of a Au(I)-organoligand shell-encapsulated few-atom Au(0) core. Their luminescent properties are greatly affected by their Au(I)-organoligand shell, which also supports the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect. However, so far, the luminescent Au nanoclusters encapsulated with the organoligands containing phosphoryl moiety have rarely been reported, not to mention their AIE. In this study, coenzyme A (CoA), an adenosine diphosphate (ADP) analogue that is composed of a bulky 5-phosphoribonucleotide adenosine moiety connected to a long branch of vitamin B5 (pantetheine) via a diphosphate ester linkage and ubiquitous in all living organisms, has been used to synthesize phosphorescent GNCs for the first time. Interestingly, the synthesized phosphorescent CoA@GNCs could be further induced to generate AIE via the PO