Exploring the influence of Diels–Alder linker length on photothermal molecule release from gold nanorods

[Display omitted] •Diels-Alder adducts for photothermal release of carboxyfluorescein from gold nanorods.•Raman helps to study the orientation of carboxifluorescein on the surface.•The orientation of carboxyfluorescein on the nanorod depends on the adduct length.•The photothermal release profiles of carboxyfluorescein depends on the adduct length. We studied the photothermal release of carboxyfluorescein (CF) linked to the gold surface of gold nanorods (GNRs) by two Diels–Alder adducts of different lengths (n = 4 and n = 9). The functionalized GNRs were irradiated with infrared light to produce photothermal release of CF by a retro-Diels–Alder reaction. The adducts were chemisorbed on the GNRs and the functionalized nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis, DLS, zeta potential and Raman and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). On the basis of the degree of nanoparticle functionalization and the SERS results, we inferred the orientation of CF on the surface of the gold nanoparticle. Moreover, we determined the photothermal release profiles of CF from the gold surface by laser irradiation. The release was faster for the longer linker (n = 9). SERS revealed that, for the shorter linker (n = 4), molecules are oriented perpendicularly with respect to the gold surface, thereby maintaining the CF far from the surface. In contrast, the longer linker was observed to be tilted, thus maintaining CF close to the gold surface and therefore potentially favoring the photothermal transfer of energy. These results are relevant for the future development of the spatial and temporal controlled release of drugs by means of gold nanoparticles.