We use time-domain thermoreflectance to show that interface thermal conductance, G, is proportional to the thermodynamic work of adhesion between gold and water, W-SL, for a series of five alkane-thiol monolayers at the gold-water interface. W-SL is a measure of the bond strength across the solid-liquid interface. Differences in bond strength, and thus differences in W-SL, are achieved by varying the terminal group (omega-group) of the alkane-thiol monolayers on the gold. The interface thermal conductance values were in the range 60-190 MW m(-2) K-1, and the solid-liquid contact angles span from 25 degrees to 118 degrees. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.