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Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids
Published on: April 22, 2016
Synthesis and Supramolecular Assembly of a Terrylene Diimide Derivative Decorated With Long Branched Alkyl Chains
Zongxia Guo1, Xiao Zhang2, Lu Zhang2
1Key Laboratory of Optic-electric Sensing and Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, MOE, Key Laboratory of Biochemical Analysis, Shandong Province, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.
Abstract:
Terrylene diimide derivatives are pigments for dyes and optoelectric devices. A terrylene diimide derivative N,N'-di(1-undecyldodecyl)terrylene-3,4:11,12-tetracarboxdiimide (DUO-TDI) decorated with long branched alkyl chains on both imide nitrogen atoms was designed and synthesized. The supramolecular assembly behaviors of DUO-TDI in solution and at the liquid-solid interface were both investigated. The assembled nanostructures and photophysical properties of TDI in solution were explored by varying solvent polarity with spectral methods (UV-Vis, FL and FT-IR) and morphological characterization (AFM). Depending on the solution polarities, fibers, disk structures and wires could be observed and they showed diverse photophysical properties. In addition, the interfacial assembly of DUO-TDI was further investigated at the liquid-Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) interface probed by scanning tunneling microscope (STM). Long range ordered monolayers composed of lamellar structures were obtained. The assembly mechanisms were studied for DUO-TDI both in solution and at the interface. Our investigation provides alternative strategy for designing and manipulation of supramolecular nanostructures and corresponding properties of TDI based materials.
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