A route to hierarchical materials based on complexes of metallosupramolecular polyelectrolytes and amphiphiles

Anisotropic thin film materials of metallosupramolecular polyelectrolyte-amphiphile complexes (denoted PACs) with structures at several length scales were fabricated through a multistep self-assembly process. Metal ion-mediated self-assembly of the ditopic ligand 1,4-bis(2,2':6',2"-terpyridine-4'-yl)benzene and electrostatic binding with the amphiphile dihexadecyl phosphate result in a PAC with tailored surface chemical properties, including solubility and surface activity. The PAC forms a stable monolayer at the air-water interface that is readily transferred and oriented on solid supports with the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The presented strategy unifies colloid and metallosupramolecular chemistry and opens a versatile route to hierarchical materials with tailored structures and functions.