Regioisomeric cryptand stabilized gold supraspheres and elongated dodecahedron supraparticles for reversible host–guest chemistry

Addition of bis-pyrazole based cryptand regioisomers (1 and 2) to citrate stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) led to gold supraspheres (AuSSL) and elongated dodecahedron (AuEDL) supraparticles, respectively. These supraparticles as heterogenous hosts show a high uptake of a small fluorophore SEA-SC1 in an aqueous medium and reversible release in organic solvents.