Loss of hydrogen upon exposure of thiol to gold clusters at low temperature.

Gold-acetone-dodecanethiol and gold-acetone-phenylethanethiol colloids were prepared by the solvated metal atom dispersion method. Hydrogen evolution occurred at fairly low temperature, when the melting acetone-gold solvate encountered the thiol molecules, due to S-H bond scission. The gas inside the reactor was analyzed by gas chromatography, and the moles of H(2) was determined by calibration curves obtained from a series of known concentration samples. The gold-to-thiolate ratio was calculated using thermal gravimetric analysis. The average particle diameter was also calculated using the gold-to-thiolate ratio.