Development of a highly sensitive colorimetric thymidine triphosphate chemosensor using gold nanoparticles and the p-xylyl-bis(Hg2+-cyclen) complex: improved selectivity by metal ion tuning

Abstract In this study, a competitive assay based on a colorimetric sensing system for thymidine triphosphate (TTP) was developed using 11-mercaptoundecylphosphoric acid functionalized gold nanoparticles (Phos-AuNPs) and a p -xylyl-bis(metal 2+ -cyclen) complex as reporter and receptor units, respectively. A detection limit of 372 nM was achieved with high selectivity for TTP over other nucleotides, including thymidine diphosphate and thymidine monophosphate. The improvement in selectivity was achieved by metal ion tuning in p -xylyl-bis(metal 2+ -cyclen).