Generation of metallosupramolecular polymer gels from multiply functionalized grid-type complexes

Hardy, John G. and Cao, Xiao-yu and Harrowfield, Jack and Lehn, Jean-Marie (2012) Generation of metallosupramolecular polymer gels from multiply functionalized grid-type complexes. New Journal of Chemistry, 36 (3). pp. 668-673. ISSN 1144-0546

Abstract

A ditopic ligand (1), containing two tridentate bis(acylhydrazone) subunits and bearing both long alkyl chains and hydrogen-bonding groups, has been synthesised. Metal cation binding in the presence of a base leads to hierarchical self-assembly, forming first a neutral [2 x 2] grid-type complex (2) that hierarchically assembles into metallosupramolecular polymer gels in toluene.