Sulfide-capped wire-like metallaynes as connectors for Au nanoparticle assemblies

A new series of Ru2(DMBA)4(oligo(phenyleneethyne))2 compounds bearing sulfide termini was synthesized; structural characterization revealed both the rigid rod nature and extended (pi)-conjugation in these metallaynes; in the presence of these metallaynes, Au nanoparticles readily assembled into dimers and chains with well-defined inter-dimer distances.