Dynamic covalent assembly and disassembly of nanoparticle aggregates.

The quantitative assembly and disassembly of a new type of dynamic covalent nanoparticle (NP) building block is reported. In situ spectroscopic characterization reveals constitutionally adaptive NP-bound monolayers of boronate esters. Ditopic linker molecules are used to produce covalently connected AuNP assemblies, displaying open dendritic morphologies, and which, despite being linked by covalent bonds, can be fully disassembled on application of an appropriate chemical stimulus.